The Experience of
Rural Poverty in Scotland
Poverty
Qualitative Research with
Organisations Working with
People Experiencing Poverty
in Rural Areas
THE EXPERIENCE OF RURAL POVERTY IN
SCOTLAND
Qualitative Research with Organisations Working with People
Experiencing Poverty in Rural Areas
EKOS Ltd
Scottish Government Social Research
2009
This report is available on the Scottish Government Social Research website
only www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch.
The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and
do not necessarily represent those of the Scottish Government or
Scottish Ministers.
© Crown Copyright 2009
Limited extracts from the text may be produced provided the source
is acknowledged. For more extensive reproduction, please contact the
Queens Printers of Scotland, Admail, ADM 4058,
Edinburgh EH1 1NG. Email: licensing@oqps.gov.uk
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
4 1 4 INTRODUCTION
Background
Study Aims
Study Method
Study Issues
Structure of Report
10 13 13 17 18 THE EXPERIENCE OF POVERTY
19 Introduction
The Spiral of Poverty
The Urban and Rural Context of Poverty
The Different Experiences of Poverty in Urban and Rural Scotland
Quality of Life: An Issue in Rural Areas?
Key Findings
19 19 22 24 28 29 VULNERABLE GROUPS IN POVERTY
30 Introduction
Single Pensioners
Single Parents
Disabled People
People with Mental Ill Health
Migrant Workers
Summary Findings
30 31 39 44 49 53 58 THE DEFINITION OF POVERTY
60 Introduction
Feedback from Study Participants
60 60 5 TACKLING RURAL POVERTY
62 6 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
66 2 3 4 3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
EKOS Ltd was commissioned by the Scottish Government to carry out qualitative
research to examine whether and how the experience of poverty is distinctive in rural
Scotland. The work was undertaken to inform the development of Achieving Our
Potential – A Framework for Tackling Poverty and Income Equality in Scotland (The
Scottish Government, 2008). The focus was on five vulnerable groups: single
pensioners, single parents, disabled people, people with mental ill health, and
migrant workers. Information was collected from a range of organisations working
with people in the target groups. The findings are based on perceptions of a relative
small sample of support and service delivery staff, and are, therefore, affected by
individual experiences, attitudes and levels of personal awareness.
Main Findings
•
Rural areas have been exposed to significant centralisation of public and
voluntary sector services. This has meant the loss of vital services (such as
hospitals and schools) to locations a considerable distance away.
•
The high cost and lack of availability of public transport prevents people from
accessing employment and training opportunities, as well as a range of services
and supports.
•
There are fewer work opportunities for disabled people in rural areas, and
employability and training services do not appear to be tailored in the same way
as in urban areas.
•
Because people experiencing poverty in rural areas are widely dispersed, many
are embarrassed about or afraid of their personal issues being made visible to
their community.
•
With many second homes and holiday lets in rural areas, the supply of rental
property from the private market is limited and rental periods are often short, to fit
around the holiday season. Single parent families are reported to be particularly
vulnerable to upheaval and disruption.
•
People face high costs in heating and maintaining houses not designed to
withstand the elements in exposed areas.
•
Limited availability of local activities, lack of income and poor transport
arrangements mean that many people (particularly pensioners and disabled
people) spend their days at home. This increases fuel usage and costs, as well
as increasing isolation and loneliness.
•
Many rural areas do not have mains gas supply; instead, liquid gas petroleum
and oil are used by most households. These are more expensive than gas, and
no support is available to help vulnerable people manage and budget for fuel
(unlike the support offered by mains gas suppliers).
•
Migrant workers who do not understand English face additional problems in
relation to accessing information and support. The nature of the work in the
agricultural sector (long hours, low pay) makes it difficult to access language
4
classes, and service providers in rural areas do not have the same access to
interpreters as their urban counterparts.
Context
The Scottish Government is committed to reducing poverty as a national priority.
While it is recognised that much is known and understood about urban poverty, there
is less understanding of the experience of poverty in a rural context.
This research work was undertaken to inform the development of the Tackling
Poverty and Inequality Framework.
Scope of the study
The aim of the research was to increase understanding about the experience of
poverty in rural areas in Scotland. More specifically, the research was intended:
• to establish whether the experience of poverty in rural areas in Scotland is
distinctive from the experience of poverty in urban areas and, if so, to highlight
the ways in which it is distinctive; and
• to suggest what the implications of these differences are for policies aimed at
reducing poverty in rural areas and the ways in which these policies are
delivered.
The research explored the key aspects of both accessible and remote rural areas
and of the experiences of five specific vulnerable groups.
The research had to be carried out to a tight timescale if findings were to feed into
the developing Framework, so the study was designed to deliver key messages from
those working with key vulnerable groups.
The study incorporated three main elements:
• a desk based research review;
• national level consultations; and
• local workshops in local areas.
The desk-based review focussed on examining key issues being faced by the
vulnerable groups experiencing poverty and on identifying examples of initiatives or
projects being delivered to alleviate or tackle rural poverty.
National level consultations with nineteen public and voluntary organisation
representatives were carried out. These were designed to gain an insight into the
perceptions of organisations that work with or represent the vulnerable groups, as
well as organisations that work to tackle poverty.
The third stage of the research involved local workshops. Thirteen workshops were
carried out in local authority areas across Scotland. Workshop participants from
5
statutory and voluntary sector service providers discussed the practical experience
of working with people living in poverty, particularly those in the target groups.
Eighty-four participants attended the workshops.
The study findings are based on the perceptions of a relative small sample of
support and service delivery staff. These perceptions are affected by individual
experiences, by attitude, and by personal awareness levels. This qualitative study
focussed on gathering individuals’ views and perceptions and as such, these
perceptions are, in many cases, not backed up by statistical evidence. The findings
from the study should, therefore, be balanced against statistical evidence covering
similar issues.
Findings
The main study findings indicate that those experiencing poverty in rural areas face
particular difficulties in relation to: transport; access to services; income; fuel costs;
housing conditions and housing supply; social interaction and engagement.
Single pensioners
• Single pensioners value self sufficiency and are often embarrassed about
seeking help or support. In rural areas, there is a particular fear of making their
problems visible to the whole community.
• In rural areas, single pensioners have few opportunities to increase their
income. Poor access to information and advice about benefits and entitlements
is likely to mean that many people do not receive their full benefits.
• The climate in exposed remote areas means that it is important for properties to
be well maintained. Pensioners who are homeowners often cannot afford
repairs, and those in rented properties may be reluctant to report problems or to
make complaints.
• Many pensioners spend their days at home, due to the limited availability of
local activities, lack of income and poor transport arrangements. This increases
their fuel usage and, consequently, fuel costs.
• Transport is a problem for many single pensioners, particularly in remote rural
areas where the bus service is infrequent or non-existent. Services provided by
community transport are not included in the free travel package for people over
60.
• Accessing healthcare services is a key issue for single pensioners. Poor
transport links mean that medical appointments are difficult to keep.
• The long distances between clients in rural areas means it is difficult for service
providers to deliver home care and other personal care services that allow older
people to live independently.
• Many remote rural areas have few organised activities for older people and,
where activities do take place, they are often too costly for poorer pensioners.
• Although the social and family networks of single pensioners are likely to
diminish due to out-migration of young people and families from rural areas,
there are often good levels of informal community support in smaller rural
areas.
6
Single parents
• There is a shortage of affordable childcare services in rural areas, making it
harder for single parents to take up and sustain employment.
• Infrequent and expensive public transport acts as a barrier to employment for
many single parents. It also increases the cost of family outings and childcare
provision.
• Employment and training options for single parents are limited in rural areas.
Jobs are often low paid and low skilled.
• With a high number of second homes and holiday lets in rural areas, the supply
of long lease rental property from the private market is limited. This leads to
upheaval and disruption for single parent families.
• Single parents on low incomes who live on the islands are not entitled to the
travel discounts that pensioners and people with mobility problems are entitled
to.
• Single parents in rural areas do not benefit from employability support that
reflects the job opportunities in the local area.
Disabled people
• The more remote the rural location, the less likely it is for the area to be served
by support organisations, and to have the full range of services available
required by people with disabilities.
• Disabled people face the same problems as other vulnerable groups in relation
to the infrequency and cost of public transport. These difficulties are
exacerbated if the disabled person needs to be accompanied by a carer when
travelling.
• There are fewer work opportunities for disabled people in rural areas and
employability and training services do not appear to be tailored in the same way
as in urban areas.
• Increased acceptance of home working would help disabled people to enter the
labour market and reduce travel costs. Currently, home working is difficult in
rural areas due to poor broadband connections and employers’ reluctance to
offer flexible working patterns.
• Many disabled people experience physical barriers when accessing services.
As services are smaller in rural areas, providers may not have upgraded
facilities in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
• The supply of adapted accessible homes for disabled people is poor in rural
areas and, it is reported, disabled people may have to apply and pay for
adaptations from their own income.
People with mental ill health
• The problems associated with low income can, in some cases, exacerbate the
symptoms experienced by people with mental ill health.
• People with mental ill health find it particularly difficult to access training and
employment in rural areas. It is reported that the stigma attached to mental
illness is more profound in rural than in urban areas.
7
• People with mental ill health living in poverty in dispersed, rural areas are often
less visible to support services, making engagement difficult.
• Some people are reluctant to access support in order to avoid their problems
becoming known. Service providers have taken steps to address this difficulty
in some rural areas – with psychiatric nurses dressing in plain clothes and
using cars without care service logos.
• Better access to green space is felt to help some people with mental ill health,
but the rural location also brings greater isolation than in urban areas.
Migrant workers
• The most acute problem faced by many migrant workers is their lack of
understanding of English. This affects their awareness of services available to
them.
• Migrant workers are not a homogeneous group and have a range of different
motivations. As such their service needs differ accordingly.
• The nature of employment in rural areas (seasonal, agricultural) means that
many migrant workers face unemployment and, in cases, homelessness at
certain times of the year.
• The terms and conditions of employment for migrant workers in rural areas are
particularly bad. Many migrant workers fail to seek help or support due to
communication problems and fears about job security.
• Accommodation for migrant workers is often worse in rural than in urban areas.
Migrant workers in rural areas often live in tied accommodation, where losing
employment has a significant impact, as it leads to homelessness.
• Migrant workers living in remote rural areas find it particularly difficult to access
services for financial and other advice, due to long working hours, shift
patterns, language issues, and transport problems.
• Several local authorities have developed welcome packs which provide
information about essential services for new migrant workers. These are felt to
be valuable.
Implications of the findings
There are a number of implications for policy makers and service providers:
A joined up approach – the experience of poverty in rural areas has a number of
distinctive features. These should be considered when planning policies relating to
poverty, social care, housing, transport, sustainable development, rural development
and social exclusion.
Delivering change – the specific features of rural areas require a more flexible
approach to service delivery, with a greater focus on outreach and mobile services.
Client/worker ratios need to recognise the distance and time involved in travelling to
clients in remote locations. There are particular sensitivities about delivering services
to vulnerable groups in rural areas, which need to be acknowledged when planning
and funding services.
8
Local provision and community-based solutions – many of the issues identified
by the research relate to the dispersed nature of rural communities and the risk of
isolation faced by vulnerable people. The need for increased social interaction and
continuity of support are of paramount importance in addressing the key needs of
people in the groups considered by the research.
Transport – the research findings have implications for policies relating to free
transport for people over 60, and also for policies relating to transport routes and
service frequency.
Employment – study participants commented on the limited range of employment
opportunities in rural areas and the perceived difficulties experienced by people in
vulnerable groups in gaining and sustaining employment. Findings have implications
for job creation and for ensuring that employers and employees receive appropriate
training on equalities issues.
Housing – policies need to take account of the lack of affordable, small housing
units in both accessible and remote rural areas. Housing design is also an issue,
particularly in exposed areas.
Fuel poverty – rural households not connected to mains gas supply are currently
missing out on the fuels cost reduction tariffs provided by gas suppliers. Schemes to
provide support to low income households, regardless of their source of fuel, would
help to alleviate the problems faced by vulnerable people.
New technologies – many service providers place increasing emphasis on digital
media and information via the internet, excluding people who cannot afford to pay for
new technologies such as computers and digital televisions. Consideration should
be given to ways in which people can access these technologies in rural areas.
Further research – the perceptions of people working with vulnerable groups cannot
replace the direct experience of those actually dealing with poverty. This research
has indicated that future work to guide policy development and delivery could focus
on coping strategies, cultural attitudes and lifestyle, all of which impact on the ability
to cope with poverty in different geographical and socio-economic settings.
9
1 INTRODUCTION
Background
1.1
EKOS Ltd were commissioned by the Scottish Government to carry out
research examining the experiences of rural poverty in Scotland to
inform the development of Achieving Our Potential – A Framework for
Tackling Poverty and Income Equality in Scotland (The Scottish
Government, 2008).
1.2
The purpose of the research was to explore whether and how the
experience of poverty is distinctive in rural Scotland, so that account
can be taken of any distinctive features in the Framework.
1.3
This qualitative study captured the views of approximately 100
representatives from organisations working with people living in
poverty. Ideally, the research would have sought to engage directly
with those experiencing poverty, but this would have been a lengthier
and more complex piece of work. The research had to be carried out
to a tight timescale if findings were to inform the development of the
Framework, so the study was designed to deliver key messages from
those working with a range of particularly vulnerable groups. Naturally,
this presented limitations to the research, which are discussed in
paragraph 1.43 (p17).
1.4
The research fieldwork was carried out over a six-week period and was
driven by the timescale for the Framework.
1.5
This report details the study findings and explores the implications of
the findings for policy makers and those designing services.
Study Context
1
1.6
The Scottish Government is committed to reducing poverty as a
national priority.
1.7
The Government Economic Strategy1 (GES) published in 2007
presents national objectives and priorities as well as ‘Golden Rules’ for
economic growth. These ‘Golden Rules’ are solidarity, cohesion, and
sustainability and each is important in tackling poverty.
1.8
The GES also presents outcomes, targets and indicators for national
performance including the Solidarity target “to increase the overall
income and the proportion of income earned by the three lowest
income deciles as a group by 2017”. The national performance
framework contains 15 national outcomes and 45 national indicators.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/11/12115041/2
10
Indicator 14 is: “decrease the proportion of individuals living in relative
low income poverty”.
1.9
Following the GES, the paper, ‘Tackling Poverty, Inequality and
Deprivation in Scotland’2 discusses the Golden Rules in relation to
these themes. Overall, the priority is to ensure that poverty, inequality,
and exclusion are tackled in all areas across Scotland. Whilst economic
goals and economic growth are driving policy, the paper highlights the
importance of assessing poverty more widely and addressing its
impacts on individuals and communities.
1.10
The Scottish Government aimed to consider consultation responses to
the discussion paper and to develop a new Framework for tackling
poverty. In addition, the Government wished to use this research and
its findings to inform the new Framework so that it considered issues
and impacts of poverty for the whole population in Scotland.
1.11
While it is recognised that much is known and understood about urban
poverty, there is less understanding of it in a rural context.
1.12
The Government, therefore, wishes to understand rural poverty in
greater depth by exploring the perceptions of those representing
people living in poverty.
1.13
Developing an understanding of these experiences and the issues and
challenges that people face will inform the policy process for rural
development in Scotland and for tackling poverty, inequality, and
deprivation in Scotland.
1.14
This study follows research that was carried out for the Scottish
Government by the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) earlier in 2008.
The SAC research reviewed literature on poverty in rural areas. It
examined the characteristics of living in poverty in rural areas and
identified policy options and examples of good practice in moving
people out of poverty.
1.15
From the literature reviewed, the SAC research3 identified that the key
factors contributing to rural poverty are employment, income, housing,
health and access. These are also factors of urban poverty, but the
evidence points to particular characteristics in rural areas which makes
rural poverty a distinct experience.
1.16
The main findings in relation to each of the key factors were as follows:
• Employment: the problem of ‘working-poor’ is a factor in rural
Scotland.
Although employment levels are high, rural
employment is often low paid, seasonal, part-time, and in low
2
3
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/02/01150409/0
Scottish Government (2008) Special Study on Living in Poverty in Rural Areas
11
productivity sectors. It is common to have more than one job.
Workers may be more reluctant to speak out about poor/illegal
working conditions.
• Income: average earnings are lower in rural areas than the rest
of Scotland, and the cost of living in rural areas is often higher
than in urban areas across key indicators: house prices, fuel
costs, transport costs and food. However, low income
households may not identify themselves as living in poverty.
• Housing: there is a shortage of affordable housing in rural
Scotland, particularly smaller properties. There may be a higher
prevalence of ‘asset rich cash poor’ and ‘mortgage poor’ in rural
areas, due to more people being home owners and owning their
own businesses.
• Access: this is a key factor in making living in poverty in a rural
area a distinct experience from living in poverty in an urban area,
and is a significant aspect of rural poverty at all stages in the life
cycle. Access is not just about the distance to travel to local
services, but also about the ability to access those services that
enable a person to participate in society.
• Health: although health status is, on average, better in rural
areas than elsewhere, health inequalities are increasing
amongst the elderly population in rural areas.
This has
implications for the delivery of health services. Issues of mental
ill health, suicide and alcohol misuse are experienced differently
in rural than in urban areas, due to rural culture and the higher
‘visibility’ of individuals in rural communities.
Thus, a
differentiated approach to tackling these problems in rural areas
needs to be implemented.
1.17
4
The report examined how rural poverty is experienced differently over
the lifecycle4. It recommended that further research should be
undertaken to examine the experiences of people living in poverty in
rural areas. This study was commissioned in light of this
recommendation. It was designed to investigate the experience of
living in poverty in rural areas from the perspective of support agencies,
local representatives and service providers who have first hand
knowledge of working with people in poverty.
Scotttish Government (2008) Special Study on Living in Poverty in Rural Areas.
12
Study Aims
1.18
1.19
The specific objectives of the study were:
•
to establish whether the experience of poverty in rural areas in
Scotland is distinctive from the experience of poverty in urban
areas and to highlight in which ways it is distinctive; and
•
to suggest what the implications of these differences are for
policies aimed at reducing poverty in rural areas and the ways in
which these policies are delivered.
A key aim of the research was to explore the potential differences in
the experience of poverty between two types of rural area: accessible
and remote rural. The research used the two most rural classifications
from the Scottish Government’s 6-fold urban/rural classification of
areas which is based on size of settlements and travelling times to
towns of a defined size:
•
accessible rural i.e. within 30 minutes driving time of a town larger
than 10,000 population; and
•
remote rural i.e. more than 30 minutes driving time of a town larger
than 10,000 population.
1.20
In addition, the study examined the experiences of five vulnerable
groups: single pensioners, single parents, and people with mental ill
health, disabled people and migrant workers.
1.21
The first four of the key vulnerable groups have been identified as
those most likely to be in the lowest three income deciles in Scotland.
These groups are also likely to be furthest away from the labour
market. In this respect, this research focussed on the issues associated
with coping with poverty rather than escaping it.
1.22
Migrant workers were added as a target group (following discussions
with the Research Advisory Group) because they are felt to be a
vulnerable group in the seasonal and low pay agricultural sector. For
migrant workers, the focus of the research was on understanding the
experience of poverty in the context of their motivation to seek
employment in Scotland, and the factors contributing to their decision
to stay or return home.
Study Method
1.23
The research was designed as a qualitative study. As such, it was
primarily based on consultations and dialogue with relevant
organisations working across Scotland.
1.24
The study incorporated three main elements:
13
•
a brief desk-based research review;
•
national level consultations; and
•
local workshops in local authority areas across Scotland.
Review of Current Research
1.25
The desk-based review of current research was based on a small
number of recently undertaken studies. Our objective was to identify
examples of good practice and lessons learned which could help inform
new policy approaches and solutions to improve the experiences of
those living in poverty in rural areas.
1.26
A key aspect of the research review was to develop an understanding
of the specific issues faced by each of the vulnerable groups living in
poverty and to identify any associated policies or practice. The review
of current research has informed the sections of this report on each
individual target group.
National Level Consultations
1.27
National consultations were designed to gain an insight into the
perceptions of organisations that work with or represent the vulnerable
groups, as well as organisations that work to tackle poverty. The study
undertook eighteen one-to-one consultations with representatives of
national public and voluntary sector organisations.
1.28
The organisations that participated in the study were:
Table 1.1: List of Consultees
The Poverty Alliance
Oxfam Scotland
Shelter Scotland
One Parent Families Scotland
Highlands and Islands Enterprise
Annandale & Eskdale Rural Partnership
Stewartry Rural Partnership
Wigtownshire Rural Partnership
Positive Action in Housing
1.29
Help the Aged
Age Concern Scotland
Turning Point Scotland
Scottish Health Council
Enable Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland
Equality and Human Rights
Commission
Energy Action Scotland
Child Poverty Action Group
The topics covered in national consultations were:
•
Whether or not there are differences in the experience of living in
poverty in urban and rural Scotland.
•
Poverty related issues that are unique to rural Scotland.
14
•
The different experiences of poverty in accessible rural areas and
remote rural areas.
•
The likelihood for the target groups to experience poverty in rural
areas.
•
The specific experiences of the target groups living in poverty.
•
Policy solutions and service delivery considerations.
Local Workshops
1.30
Local workshops aimed to gather the views and experiences of
representatives from service providers, support organisations and other
agencies that work directly with people experiencing poverty. The
emphasis was on exploring the practical experience of working with
people living in poverty particularly those in the vulnerable groups. It
was intended that representatives with both urban and rural
experiences should attend the workshops so that anything distinctive
about rural poverty might be identified.
1.31
To select the local areas for the workshops, the Scottish Government’s
urban-rural classification data was examined.5 From this we identified
local authorities that have both an urban and rural population. Fourteen
local authority areas were selected on this basis. This short-list was
then used to identify which local authorities were likely to have more
experience in dealing with the needs of particular vulnerable groups.
1.32
Various sources (including the Community Health Profiles, Scottish
Neighbourhood Statistics and Local Authority Poverty Proxy Data) were
used to explore which vulnerable groups were proportionately more
represented by population numbers than others.
1.33
The Community Health Profiles6 provided data for each local authority
area on the percentage of population with prescribed drugs for
anxiety/depression/psychosis in 2005. This data helped to highlight
those local authority areas with a high proportion of residents with
mental ill health.
1.34
The Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics7 provided data for each local
authority area on the percentage of population claiming Disability Living
Allowance in 2005. This data provided an indication of those local
authority areas with a high proportion of residents with disabilities.
1.35
Local Authority Proxy Poverty Data8 provided data on the percentage
of single parent and single pensioner households with an income of
5
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/07/31114822/0
http://www.scotpho.org.uk/home/Comparativehealth/Profiles/chp_profiles.asp
7
http://www.sns.gov.uk
8
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/CoreAnalysis
6
15
less than £10,000 a year in each local authority area. This helped to
highlight those areas with a high proportion of single parents or single
pensioners living in poverty.
1.36
Using this profiling approach for each local authority area, we identified
which local area workshops should concentrate on the specific
vulnerable groups. This is presented in Table 1.2 below:
Table 1.2: Workshop Selection
1.37
Single
Parents
Single
Pensioners
Dumfries &
Galloway
Argyll & Bute
Angus
Scottish
Borders
Stirling
Eilean Siar
Vulnerable groups
Disabled
People with
People
Mental Ill
Health
East Ayrshire
Perth &
Kinross
South
Moray
Lanarkshire
South
Aberdeenshire
Ayrshire
Migrant
Workers
Midlothian
Highland
Despite initial plans to hold fourteen workshops, practical difficulties
and short timescales made this quite challenging. However, thirteen
workshops were held successfully in the following areas:
Table 1.3: Local Workshops
Dumfries and Galloway
Argyll and Bute
Angus
Eilean Siar
Stirling
East Ayrshire
South Lanarkshire
South Ayrshire
Perth and Kinross
Moray
Aberdeenshire
Midlothian
Highland
1.38
The workshops largely concentrated on the vulnerable groups
previously identified in the workshop selection exercise. However, in
several workshops discussions on general rural poverty were covered
in more depth than in others. Where participants had concerns or
evidence about other vulnerable groups, they were encouraged to
discuss this in addition to the vulnerable group being focussed on.
1.39
The workshops were held over a two-week period in September 2008.
Participants included local community group representatives, voluntary
sector staff including local Citizens Advice Bureaux and representatives
from community groups and local authority departments including
economic development, community planning, benefits advice and
housing.
1.40
In total, eighty-four participants attended the local workshops although
the number of participants in each varied. Workshops that took place
during the first week of implementation suffered from poor attendance.
16
This was due to the very short time frame of the arrangements and
invitees’ commitments to other engagements. Having said this,
workshops with a small number of participants (typically three) had the
advantage of exploring the study issues in some depth and detail. This
produced most useful insights for the study team. The workshops
during the second week of implementation had between six and
fourteen participants.
1.41
1.42
Workshop discussions centred around six topics, which were designed
to encourage debate and discussion. These were:
•
Whether the experience of poverty in urban areas is the same as
the experience of poverty in rural areas.
•
The likelihood of experiencing poverty for a member of a target
group living in rural areas compared with urban areas.
•
The quality of life of the target group living in poverty in rural areas.
•
Initiatives for tackling poverty and whether these work better in
urban or rural settings.
•
The level of support services in rural areas to cater for the needs of
the vulnerable groups.
•
The appropriateness of the definition of poverty for addressing all
of the relevant issues.
The findings from the research review, national consultations and local
workshops are presented in the remaining sections of this report.
Study Issues
1.43
The timescales for this study had an impact on the participation rates
and attendance at the local workshops. Identifying participants for local
workshops was done by asking local contacts within local authorities
and voluntary organisations to work with us to identify relevant
individuals to invite. This approach helped us to compile invitation lists
within a short period of time and this was more successful in some
areas than in others. Each invitee received a letter and follow up phone
call to encourage them to participate.
1.44
Within a short study period and with workshop invitations issued at
short notice, it was difficult to secure high attendance mainly due to
existing commitments of invitees. The first wave of workshops
experienced a lower turnout than the second wave.
1.45
Many participants at the workshops pointed out the shortcoming that
the research did not include the actual people affected by poverty. This
was due to the short timeframe of the research. However, workshops
and consultations were designed in a highly participative manner,
17
encouraging participants to reflect thoroughly on their knowledge of
their client groups and, thereby, coming as close as possible to the
experiences of the individuals themselves.
1.46
Nevertheless, the findings through ‘secondaries’ will not be able to
replace more in-depth research with the vulnerable groups themselves.
This is particularly relevant with regard to learning about coping
strategies, cultural attitudes, and rural/urban lifestyles, which all impact
on the ability to cope with poverty issues in different geographical and
socio-economic settings.
1.47
A further study issue is that the findings are based on the perceptions
of a small sample of support and service delivery staff. These
perceptions are affected by individual experiences, by attitude, and by
personal awareness levels. This qualitative study focussed on
gathering individuals’ views and perceptions and as such, these
perceptions are, in many cases, not backed up by statistical evidence.
Therefore, the findings from the study should be balanced against
statistical evidence covering similar issues.
Structure of Report
1.48
The report outlines our key findings from the desk research and
fieldwork period and is structured as follows:
•
Section two discusses the general experience of poverty, the urban
and rural context of poverty and impacts on the quality of life for
people.
•
Section three presents the experiences of poverty for people in the
vulnerable groups.
•
Section four discusses the definition of poverty.
•
Section five presents suggested solutions for tackling rural poverty.
•
Section six presents key messages and suggested implications for
policy.
18
2 THE EXPERIENCE OF POVERTY
Introduction
2.1
This chapter presents the findings of our fieldwork regarding the more
general understanding and perceptions of poverty across all vulnerable
groups. It presents some of the key aspects of experiencing poverty in
our society as perceived by the participants of the workshops.
2.2
The chapter progresses by presenting the findings regarding the urban
and rural circumstances and the impact these differences have on
those living in poverty.
2.3
This was a qualitative study which captured the views of approximately
100 representatives from organisations that work with people
experiencing poverty. Ideally, the research would have sought to
engage directly with those experiencing poverty, but this would have
been a lengthier and more complex piece of work. The research had to
be carried out within tight timescales in order to inform the development
of the Framework.
2.4
Therefore, the study was designed to deliver key messages from those
working with a range of particularly vulnerable groups. This presented
limitations to the research which are discussed in section 1.
The Spiral of Poverty
Disposable Income and Basic Needs
9
2.5
The basis for defining poverty is clear: poverty – wherever you are – is
defined by the level of income. Family size, number of dependents and
cost of living determine the availability of disposable income for every
household.
2.6
The Government definition of relative poverty is a household whose
equivalised income before housing costs is below 60% of the median
income in the U.K. For a couple without children, an income less than
£226 per week in 2006-07 would constitute relative poverty. (See more
on the issue of the definition of poverty in Chapter 4).
2.7
Statistics indicate that the proportion of people living in relative poverty
in urban and rural areas is broadly similar. The 2005/06 data from the
Family Resources Survey shows that in urban areas 18% of people
were living in low income households and in rural areas this was 17%
(before housing costs).9
2.8
Numerically there are less people living in poverty in rural areas than in
urban areas. However, the experience of poverty for those living in
Scottish Executive Family Resources Survey 2005/06 Dataset.
19
rural areas may be different and it is important that this is understood
particularly for policy design, interventions, and service delivery.
2.9
At the same time, the experience of poverty is influenced by
perception, and, therefore, is a subjective experience. In some cases
people express less difficulties and hardship than others, although by
definition they should be worse off. General attitude, cultural
differences, and the extent of social support available have often been
mentioned as important factors in helping people to cope better with
poverty.
2.10
However, the outwardly perceived stoicism of coping with poverty might
be substantially influenced by an underlying feeling of social stigma
and fear of embarrassment. Many workshop participants felt that there
is a lack of knowledge regarding how people really cope with poverty
and what is deemed an acceptable level of coping. In other words,
people living in poverty may be coping with, for example, reduced
levels of heating, limited choices etc., but there may also be an element
of suffering that is not being understood or evidenced.
2.11
Participants confirmed that poverty is the experience of having too little
money to meet the basic needs of a household and to engage in
society on the same basis as everyone else. This is determined by
what an individual perceives to be a basic need and what is regarded
as ‘extras’ or ‘luxuries’. In this respect, perceived poverty can be
experienced by almost everyone depending on their expectations.
However, this would be unreasonable. In workshop discussions,
participants felt that the inability to afford good food, transport, and
social activities and to live in a warm, secure home represents poverty.
2.12
In most general terms, the understanding is that basic needs are:
•
housing;
•
warmth;
•
food;
•
clothing; and
•
healthcare.
2.13
Workshop participants felt that people experiencing poverty have to do
without or cut down on socialising, entertainment, private/public
transport usage, holidays etc, which are usually considered extras
when money is short.
2.14
Experiencing poverty, therefore, means that difficult choices in
expenditure have to be made to cover basic needs. Many
representatives of support organisations feel that current
benefit/pension levels are not even high enough to cover for basic
20
needs and an expenditure decision in one basic need area (e.g.
heating) has a fundamental impact on being able to afford a number of
other basic needs (food, new clothing).
The Risks of Isolation and Ill Health
2.15
Those experiencing poverty need to budget carefully so that money for
the basic needs of life does not run out before the next income is
received. This implies that expenses for ‘extras’ have to remain at a
minimum. For some groups such as single parents, this often means
being unable to pay for children to participate in activities.
2.16
In this context, the implications of experiencing poverty are not only
economic, i.e. lack of car ownership, size of house, etc. but do have
fundamental social and psychological effects on the individuals
concerned.
2.17
Besides the actual lack of resources, social stigma, embarrassment,
and stress are experienced by people living in poverty. A low income
and tight budget prevents them from participating more actively in
community life. This is particularly the case when this requires mixing
with people with higher income levels as people are often embarrassed
by their limited budget. For people living in poverty, a lack of money
impacts on their ability to join in social activities.
2.18
One example given was that pensioners will often avoid attending
lunch clubs, because they do not want to appear poor or unable to
participate in the same way as their peers (i.e. varied priced lunch
options). This often puts people off joining in activities in future.
2.19
According to the workshop participants, the need to minimise outings
and extras means that many people experiencing poverty stay more at
home, mix less with others and participate less in their communities.
2.20
Most workshop participants felt that the reduced participation in social
and community life can often lead to loneliness and isolation, impacting
negatively on individuals’ physical and mental health. As reported
below, this effect can take place in any geographic area and amidst
highly populated cities. Participants felt that it is very difficult for support
services to identify those affected due to lack of knowledge of who the
vulnerable clients are.
2.21
An associated risk of living in poverty is homelessness. Where people
are struggling to afford basic items, to feed and clothe children and
keep them warm, it is often found that mortgage or rent payments
become less of a priority. When this happens, rent arrears build up and
if this becomes unmanageable, people living in poverty are at risk of
eviction and of becoming homeless.
2.22
Consultees and workshop participants expressed concern that more
people living in poverty, particularly within the current economic
21
climate, will face greater difficulties in paying their rent or mortgage
leading to increased numbers of people presenting as homeless to
their local authority.
The Urban and Rural Context of Poverty
2.23
This study focuses on those living in poverty in rural areas. This
includes accessible and remote rural areas as defined by the Scottish
Government’s 6-fold urban/rural classification. To explore the
experience of poverty in rural areas it was important to also take
account of the experience of poverty in urban areas to enable the
identification of relative differences and similarities.
2.24
The difference of living in poverty in urban and rural areas is already
documented in the SAC report and in earlier work by the Scottish
Executive in 2001. The Poverty and Inclusion Working Group in 2001
reported that the effects of poverty and social exclusion were the same
in rural and urban areas, but that the causes and solutions to the same
problems in rural areas can be different.10 The report suggests that
engaging local communities and tailoring local solutions to transport,
access, housing, and income would help to improve the situation of
those living in poverty and experiencing social exclusion in rural areas.
2.25
One of the first questions of our fieldwork addressed the perceived
differences of experiencing poverty in urban versus rural areas.
Urban Areas
2.26
Urbanity is usually defined by its high density of population. High
population numbers make it possible to ensure a large diversity of
housing in terms of costs and size, a wide range of accessible services
and activities, and a comprehensive range of job opportunities. Having
said that, it is acknowledged that this diversity and variety is not
universal in the urban setting and many peripheral estates suffer from
low diversity of housing and limited choices and opportunities for jobs.
2.27
High population density is also important for support organisations in
terms of efficiency in reaching their target client groups and achieving
required client/worker ratios effectively. An often stated point in
workshops was that public as well as voluntary sector organisations are
centralising their location and services in urban areas.
2.28
Whilst workshop participants agreed that high density living usually
signifies that the accessibility of goods and services, including public
transport is good, it was also noted that there are areas within the
urban setting, such as housing schemes, which are, at times, more
isolated and relatively inaccessible than the rest of the city.
10
Scottish Executive Poverty & Inclusion Working Group (2001) Poverty and Social Exclusion in Rural
Scotland
22
2.29
Traffic congestion, pollution, and crime were thought to make urban life
more stressful.
Accessible Rural Areas
2.30
The accessible rural area is defined by being less than half an hour
travelling time to the nearest town of more than 10,000 population. It is
typically characterised by an increasing population constituted by
families moving out of urban areas to relocate in quieter, rural locations
within accessible reach of jobs and services in the urban area. This inmigration of ‘commuter families’ has had a number of effects on rural
towns and villages. Many workshop participants stated that their
vulnerable groups found it increasingly difficult to find affordable and
suitable accommodation as a result of in-migration as well as
second/holiday homes. The perception was that most new-built
housing in accessible rural areas was designed to accommodate
families, making it increasingly difficult for single or couple households,
such as pensioners, to scale down and find suitable accommodation.
2.31
A loss of services and retail provision in the village centres, particularly
the Post Office, due to the relative vicinity of a larger urban centre was
also mentioned as particularly difficult for poorer households.
Participants reported frequently that the small number of remaining
shops in those villages charged higher prices for basic goods than
supermarkets.
2.32
According to support organisations, the consequence of an increased
number of commuter neighbours, the reduced availability of shops/post
office, and poor access to public transport have led to an increased
anonymity for vulnerable groups in accessible rural areas. The
perception is that social support and networking is increasingly
fragmented with many residents being absent during the day, only
spending nights and weekends in the rural area.
Remote Rural Areas
2.33
The remote rural area, defined by its much lower number and density
of population, is often regarded as potentially more economically
sustainable than the accessible rural area. This is mainly due to the
fact that the considerable distance to towns and urban centres makes it
possible to retain the viability of a certain level and diversity of basic
retail and shops, even in relatively small settlements (i.e. similar sized
settlements in the accessible rural area would not be able to sustain
similar services).
2.34
At the same time, remote rural areas have been exposed to significant
centralisation of important public and voluntary sector services, losing
vital services (hospitals, schools, training etc.) to locations a
considerable distance away.
23
2.35
The social fabric of remote rural areas is, however, believed to be less
fragmented than in the accessible rural areas due to the much-reduced
influences of commuter family life styles.
2.36
Community living and community-based activity in remote rural areas
is, therefore, believed to be more of a reality than elsewhere. Having
said this, remote rural areas are considerably more affected by outmigration of the young. One workshop participant stated that the area
‘exports young people and imports older people’. This is a concern for
local communities and service providers due to a reduced labour force
but also reduced diversity.
2.37
Transport has been identified as a major issue in remote rural areas
with workshop participants claiming that car ownership is a necessity
rather than a luxury. The increased distances also imply much more
expensive charges for public/voluntary travel.
2.38
The spectrum of jobs in remote rural areas, in terms of range and type
of employment is considerably reduced due to the low population
density.
The Different Experiences of Poverty in Urban and Rural Scotland
2.39
Our findings were clear with interviewees agreeing that the higher the
density of population, the closer are support services, shops and
places of activity; the wider is the range and type of job opportunities;
and the wider is the range and type of available housing. Workshop
participants largely perceived urban areas to provide better
accessibility, more choice and diversity in almost all aspects of life than
most rural areas.
Distance to Services and Goods
2.40
People living in poverty in rural areas are, therefore, disadvantaged by
the low accessibility of and long distance to services and goods. The
lack of affordable transport in rural areas (including accessible and
remote) was one of the most frequently mentioned aspects of
disadvantage contributing significantly to the high risk of isolation of
people.
2.41
In accessible rural areas access to public transport was, at times, more
an issue of frequency and cost, whereas in remote rural areas, the lack
of public transport was more dominant an issue with community
transport filling in. Community transport plays an important role in rural
areas and fills the gaps in transport provision. It often provides a useful
addition to transport services, particularly in rural areas. Rural
community transport includes door to door transport and minibus
operations for individuals and groups. It differs from urban-based
24
community transport, which is largely a minibus service hired and paid
for by an organised group.11
2.42
Whilst community transport seems to offer a valid solution to transport
issues in rural areas, costs were often reported as prohibitive for
people on low incomes. Transport charges are based on distance
travelled and are, therefore, increasingly expensive for people living
further away from their destination.
2.43
Support organisations also reported on the impact of distance to client
groups and stated frequently that their client/worker ratio does make it
very difficult to serve clients living in rural areas, not accounting for the
time required to travel to clients in further away rural locations. Usually,
services tend to focus on their urban target population, as they are
easier to reach.
2.44
In terms of distances to goods and associated help in joint-shopping
etc, social/neighbourhood support was reported as declining
particularly in accessible rural areas. This was believed to be mainly
due to more and more ‘outsiders’ moving into rural villages without
social connections to the existing residents.
2.45
A further issue in rural areas is the perceived difficulty of accessing
affordable credit. Workshop participants reported that it was difficult for
people in rural areas to access affordable credit, particularly due to the
unavailability of Highstreet lenders in rural areas which are known to
provide small loans more readily. Although credit is available through
the internet, consultees regarded the lack of the lenders’ physical
presence as a problem particularly for people who are not computer
literate or prefer face to face contact. Where credit is available in rural
areas, workshop participants felt that there is limited choice and
competition and that borrowers often face higher interest rates.
Cost of Living
11
2.46
Workshop participants strongly emphasised the higher cost of living in
rural areas (accessible and remote) and felt this to be a particular issue
for those living on low incomes.
2.47
Research undertaken in 2003 by Highlands and Islands Enterprise
suggested that many people assume it is more expensive to live rurally
but that in fact, overall prices in rural areas were, on average, 2.3%
below those in urban areas. This research provided a breakdown of
prices on a number of items and compared rural with urban. It also
looked at remote rural areas separately. Whilst the research found that,
overall, prices were lower in rural areas, it also found that certain items
were more expensive.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/159230/0043330.pdf
25
2.48
For example, food and fuel costs were significantly higher in rural
Scotland, particularly in the Highlands. Personal goods and services,
drink and tobacco were also more expensive. Interestingly, housing
costs were over 10% below urban figures.12 This research was carried
out in 2003 and more recently there has been greater price pressure on
food and fuel. This may have impacted on the price gap that existed in
2003.
2.49
Contrary to the above, recent evidence published by Halifax Bank of
Scotland indicates that housing in rural areas of Scotland is less
affordable than in urban areas. The Rural Housing Review carried out
by the bank found that the average house price across rural Scotland is
13% more expensive than the average house price in urban areas.13
The SAC report also found that the cost of living is often higher in rural
areas compared with urban, particularly house prices, fuel costs,
transport costs and food.14
2.50
The majority of workshop participants reported that the experience of
those living in poverty in rural areas is that the cost of living is higher for
them than their urban counterparts.
2.51
It was felt that the reduced number of shopping outlets results in higher
prices. The increased distances from services and goods have an
impact on increased travel costs. Participants further stated that the
often poorer quality and energy inefficiency of housing in rural areas
has an impact on increased fuel bills.
2.52
A number of workshop participants pointed out that the further north the
location of residence becomes, the more challenging weather
conditions can be, including the exposure to wind, lower temperature
and less daylight in winter periods. This impacts on house maintenance
costs with regard to wind and water tightness of buildings. In many
instances, the workshop attendants mentioned the low quality of
housing in remote rural areas particularly with regard to energy
efficiency impacting on increased costs for fuel and electricity. The cost
of installing and repairing relevant systems is particularly high for those
on low incomes.
2.53
Homes in rural areas largely depend on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG),
solid and oil fuels, and electricity. Especially in remote rural areas,
mains gas is generally not available. Workshop participants felt that
vulnerable groups in rural areas miss out on the support that mains gas
suppliers offer their vulnerable clients.
12
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (2003) Rural Scotland Price Survey
http://www.hbosplc.com/media/pressreleases/articles/bos/2008-09-12-housingles.asp
14
Scottish Government (2008) Special Study on Living in Poverty in Rural Areas
13
26
2.54
A higher cost of living is, therefore, experienced in rural areas with the
effect that people on benefit or low income have proportionately even
less to budget for than equivalent people in an urban location.
2.55
Statistical evidence indicates that the overall cost of living in rural areas
is lower than in urban areas. However, a number of studies and the
perception of those who work with and represent people living in
poverty in rural areas is that the cost of living is higher. Further
investigation combining quantitative analysis of prices and qualitative
analysis gathering the views of those living in rural areas would provide
greater insight into this issue.
Implications
2.56
The main consequence of the circumstances described above is that
any given income is perceived not to stretch as far in a rural area as in
an urban area. For reasonably wealthy people, this does not make
much of a difference, but people living on a tight budget (low
income/benefit) experience the additional costs of rural living much
more harshly. There was consensus amongst workshop participants
that the choices of how to spend one’s limited resources in a rural area
are harder and potentially affect the ability to even afford basic
provisions.
2.57
If what we were told in interviews and workshops is correct, and living
costs and travel expenditure are higher than in urban areas, it would
follow that people living in poverty in rural areas are proportionately
poorer than their counterparts in urban areas. This may have
implications in terms of personal debt levels. However, debt problems
were not raised as an issue during our fieldwork.
2.58
Support organisations strongly believe that a higher cost of living
means that the risk of isolation for people living in poverty in rural areas
is higher than in urban areas. Participants felt that for some groups
there may be a greater risk of falling ill due to depression and/or
unhealthy living conditions (temperature, dampness). However ill health
and debt did not emerge as major issues in our research, and the
statistics show that (for the population as a whole, though not
necessarily for lower income groups) health is better in rural areas.
2.59
In order to provide support to vulnerable groups, support providers
need to be able to identify individuals in need. Workshop participants
stated that knowledge about those living on low incomes and where
they are located in rural areas is relatively low. It is, therefore, more
difficult to provide services to them.
2.60
A lack of visibility of people living in poverty may be due to
unawareness of their status, or an unwillingness to declare their status
or circumstances. For example, research carried out in Wales
examined the experiences of families with children in rural areas. The
research found that ‘poverty’ and ‘social exclusion’ were not part of the
27
currency of research participants and that they ‘do their best with what
they have’.15
2.61
The overall impression from our research is that the extent of poverty in
rural areas is still largely unknown.
Quality of Life: An Issue in Rural Areas?
2.62
The traditional image of rural areas is that of idyllic scenery, peaceful
living, clean environment and healthy lifestyles. The study, therefore,
asked participants if people living in rural areas enjoy a better quality of
life and whether this helped people cope with living in poverty.
2.63
Overwhelmingly, interviewees and workshop participants refuted the
assumption that the beauty of the landscape helped people cope better
with limited resources. The phrase: ‘you cannot eat the landscape’ was
mentioned in this respect.
2.64
Most representatives felt that quality of life is less determined by
location than by income, and most fundamentally influenced by
personal preferences in lifestyle.
2.65
Most importantly, it was believed that the quality of life for people on
low incomes was substantially defined by the accessibility of services
and goods, by the extent of social support, networking and inclusion,
and by the number of opportunities for employment and training.
2.66
Most workshops concluded that, from a poverty perspective, quality of
life is not better in rural than in urban areas due to the challenges faced
by distance to services and activities and the higher risks in rural areas
of experiencing isolation.
2.67
This view is supported by two recent studies, which have found that
due to the ‘idealisation’ of rural areas they are perceived as problem
free.16 Further, the perception of a romantic, desirable way of life where
there is a sense of community and individual contentment makes it
harder for issues around poverty and exclusion in rural areas to be
taken seriously.17
15
Sharpe, T (2003) The good life? The impact of rural poverty on family life in Wales
Community Development Journal (Oct 2005), Vol 40 (4) Rural Crisis, Good Practice and
Community Development Responses
17
Cloke P. Milbourn P and Widdowfield R (2002) Rural Homelessness: Issues, Experiences and
Policy Responses, Policy Press
16
28
Key Findings
2.68
In summary, our key findings regarding poverty in rural areas in general
included the following perceptions held by support organisations:
•
The rural location exacerbates the experience of poverty, due to
the higher costs for food, fuel and transport as well as limited
choices and opportunities.
•
The same amount of benefit/low income does not stretch as far in
rural areas as in urban areas due to higher costs of basic items.
•
There is less choice of services and activities in rural areas and this
includes training and learning services. This particularly affects
remote rural areas.
•
The quality of housing in rural areas is variable. Houses are often
in poor condition and have low energy efficiency making them
harder to heat and therefore pushing fuel costs higher. This seems
to be more of an issue in remote rural areas, whereas the main
housing issue in accessible rural areas is perceived to be the more
limited range of affordable housing.
•
Participants felt that in many remote rural areas, particularly in the
Highland and Islands, the climate is worse than in urban areas
situated further south. This has an impact on house maintenance
costs, as there is a greater requirement for homes to be wind and
watertight.
•
Public transport is infrequent and, in some areas, non-existent
(accessible as well as remote rural areas). Community Transport
costs are felt to be prohibitive particularly for remote rural areas.
•
Service provision from voluntary and public sector providers is less
frequent and less accessible in rural areas, particularly remote rural
areas.
•
The ‘rose tinted’ view of rural life is unrealistic and it is hard for
many groups (including families) to meet the higher costs of living.
•
Many groups, including young people and working families, suffer
from poverty due to limited choice and the greater challenges they
face living in rural areas.
29
3 VULNERABLE GROUPS IN POVERTY
Introduction
3.1
Chapter 3 summarises the key findings from the study fieldwork
specifically relating to five vulnerable groups and their perceived
experience of poverty in rural and remote rural locations. The findings,
which are based on the perceptions of around 100 individuals working
with people experiencing poverty, are reported separately for each
vulnerable group under a number of key themes that emerged from
discussions. This chapter also presents (in boxes) local examples of
interesting/innovative practices or initiatives that were provided by
workshop participants.
Target Group Selection
3.2
The Government Economic Strategy (GES) presented the Scottish
Government’s strategic objectives and targets that will be taken forward
in the next few years. One of the key targets relates to solidarity:
improving social equity, which is described as reducing disparities
between the richest and poorest in Scottish society. To achieve this,
the Government’s target is to: “increase overall income and the
proportion of income earned by the three lowest income deciles as a
group by 2017.”
3.3
The proportion of income received by groups in the three lowest
income deciles is 14% and this has remained unchanged since
1994/95. Over the same period of time, total household income has
risen considerably.
3.4
Scottish Government research shows that there are 860,000 families in
the three lowest income deciles. That is 1.5 million individuals; 350,000
children; 390,000 pensioners and 760,000 working age adults. The
average weekly income is £208 compared with £603 per week for
families in the highest three deciles.
3.5
Within the three lowest income deciles, there are a number of
vulnerable groups that are proportionately more represented than in the
higher income deciles. Relevant groups which have been researched in
the context of this study included:
•
single pensioners;
•
single parents;
•
people with mental ill health;
•
disabled people; and
•
migrant workers.
30
3.6
There are a number of key factors which impact on the likelihood of
these groups being in the lowest income deciles, including: labour
demand; discrimination; accessibility of work; quality of work and
employment; tax and benefits; employment support; low skills and
educational attainment; and health problems.
3.7
Those in the lowest three deciles are often in low skilled, low paid
employment experiencing a number of difficulties in competing in the
labour market for new, better paid opportunities. Some groups also
experience disadvantage by employers’ attitudes and assumptions
about their ability to work and participate in the labour market.
3.8
For example, access to employment is still frequently reported as a
particular problem for disabled people and women who are on low
incomes. Physical barriers to workplaces and access to transport to
travel to work are further barriers that ultimately impact on the
individual’s ability to access wider employment opportunities.
3.9
The ‘benefit trap’ and complicated tax and benefits systems constitute
further issues for those in the lowest three deciles. The fear of losing
benefits or becoming worse off hinders some people to take up paid
employment. At the same time, there are issues with people not taking
up their full entitlement of benefits due to lack of knowledge.
3.10
In summary, those in the lowest three income deciles are most likely to
face a number of barriers to gaining and sustaining employment. As a
consequence, persistent low income is often experienced.
Single Pensioners
Context
18
3.11
As indicated, single pensioners have been identified as one of the
groups that are over-represented in the bottom three deciles of income.
Pensioner poverty is not a new issue and research highlights particular
problems with benefit uptake (e.g. Pension Credit, Housing Benefit,
and Council Tax Benefit) and of pensioners struggling to make ends
meet. A finite income and little or no opportunities to improve their
household income, particularly in rural areas, lead to many pensioners
experiencing poverty.
3.12
Pensioner poverty is a well-documented issue. Research by the
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF)18 discusses the complexity of
pensioner poverty. The main thrust of the research was that age is not
a predictor of hardship. It highlights that older peoples’ lives are
characterised by stability at least in financial terms. This means that
those who were less well off in earlier life remain so and likewise those
http://www.jrf.org.uk/knowledge/findings/socialpolicy/2044.asp
31
who were affluent remain affluent. This financial stability remains due to
the finite income that pensioners receive.
3.13
Understanding the complexity of pensioner poverty is important when
trying to understand the distinctive experiences of pensioners living in
poverty in rural areas.
3.14
The JRF research found that pensioners who are less well off are more
likely to become ill or to die at a younger age than their more affluent
peers. Access to health providers and support services is an important
aspect to maintaining health and independence.
3.15
Availability of appropriate housing, including sheltered housing and
care homes are important considerations for pensioners whose
housing needs may change over time. A key concern for those who
have to relocate is that they will lose contact with friends and family and
move away from an area that is familiar.
3.16
Older generations tend to show a considerable reluctance in asking for
support with problems associated with poverty and income. For many,
depending on state subsidy or benefits is perceived as unacceptable.
Associated with this perceived stigma and embarrassment of poverty,
people may choose to reduce social interaction due to a lack of funds.
This carries the risk of isolation and loneliness. It also makes it more
difficult for support services to identify and support pensioners living in
poverty.
3.17
Through consultations with national and local stakeholders the overall
aim of this research was to gain an understanding of the distinctive
experiences of single pensioners living in poverty in rural Scotland and
to determine how those issues might be addressed.
Experience of Poverty specific to the Rural Area (accessible/remote)
3.18
A key finding from this research is that the likelihood of experiencing
poverty is largely the same for all single pensioners regardless of
geographic location. However, it was widely commented that living
rurally and in more remote areas exacerbates the experience of
poverty for single pensioners particularly due to increased costs of
living. Participants reported that this is mainly due to higher transport
expenditure and more expensive shopping in small village shops. Poor
housing and high-energy costs for heating have also been reported as
major expenditure items affecting pensioners in remote rural areas
more than in accessible rural areas.
3.19
Given this, it is considered more likely that the risk of isolation for
pensioners increases if they are living more remotely. This is
particularly the case where access to health services and social
activities is increasingly reduced.
32
Cultural Attitudes
3.20
It was reported that many single pensioners adopt a view of ‘getting on
with it’. As a result of this many older people do not seek help or
support. In the rural setting, there is a fear that in seeking help their
problems will become visible to the whole community. Service
providers reported that the embarrassment of asking for help and the
fear of the community knowing about personal problems is a barrier to
providing services.
Income
3.21
Participants felt that in rural areas the number of single pensioners that
do not currently receive their full benefits may be high due to a
perceived lack of information and advice about benefits and
entitlements. Poor access to services is largely seen as the cause of
this problem.
3.22
With many service providers based in towns or urban centres, and a
decreasing number of communication/information points within easy
reach of rural residents, pensioners often can’t travel to the relevant
service provider or are unaware of where to access help in the first
instance.
3.23
Workshop participants suggested that pensioners face particular
difficulties as they have a finite income and few opportunities to
increase this income. In rural areas it is often more difficult for retired
people to find employment. Whereas in urban areas larger employers,
for example supermarkets, are often keen to employ older people.
3.24
Single female pensioners were identified as being at higher risk of
poverty and of having a worse experience of living in poverty. In many
cases, this is due to lower occupational pensions (if any) – often the
result of career breaks and/or working in low paid jobs. With a smaller
income, single female pensioners often struggle to make ends meet,
have to go without basic goods, and/or cannot afford to join in social
activities.
Housing
3.25
Workshop participants reported that poor quality housing in rural areas
has a considerable impact on older people and can often lead to poor
health and well-being. Pensioners living in rented accommodation are
often more reluctant to report shortfalls or make complaints aggravating
the existing problems.
3.26
Where the single pensioner is a homeowner, being able to afford the
upkeep of housing can be a particular difficulty. Consultees suggested
that the colder climate in some rural areas, particularly in the Highland
and Islands and more exposed remote areas, increases the need for
houses to be wind and watertight.
33
3.27
Workshop participants felt that in some areas (e.g. islands without tree
cover), houses are more exposed to the wind and other elements and
that this requires more regular repairs and maintenance to be carried
out. For single pensioners on a low income costly upkeep and repair
presents a major difficulty.
3.28
In accessible rural areas, issues of downscaling accommodation have
also been reported as problematic. With the majority of housing
targeted on providing for the in-coming commuter families, affordable
one-bedroom accommodation is rarely available. In addition, sheltered
housing and care homes tend to be located in central areas, requiring
older people from rural areas to leave their familiar environment. This
inflicts fear and reluctance to move into more appropriate housing for
many older people in rural areas.
Fuel Poverty
3.29
Fuel poverty is keenly felt by older people living in rural areas. Poor
housing means that more heating is generally needed to keep the
house warm. In addition, many rural areas do not have mains gas
supply and, therefore, more expensive LPG, oil, or electricity are used
by most households.
3.30
Workshop participants reported that utilities companies offer support to
vulnerable customers, however, single pensioners in rural areas who
are not connected to mains supply and have to use LPG or oil fuels, do
not benefit from this support.
3.1
With limited activities available for older people and constraints
including lack of income and poor transport, many pensioners in rural
areas spend their days at home requiring heating all day. For example,
workshop participants reported that it is more difficult for a single
pensioner in rural areas to go out for the day to visit a local library to
spend a few hours in a heated place and as a result they spend the day
at home. This increases their fuel usage and fuel costs.
3.2
Modern house design and the extent to which it considers the local
climate and conditions i.e. its energy efficiency, was an important
aspect for several workshop participants. It was reported that, at times,
the design of new social housing makes it more difficult and expensive
for occupants to keep their homes warm, as houses have been
positioned in such a way that they are facing the sea and feel the full
force of the wind. Substantial energy loss is experienced particularly
when occupants open their front doors. Older, traditional houses,
however, have small porches that help combat this problem and are
often positioned in a way that reduces the impact of the elements.
34
The Scottish Government website
(www.openscotland.co.uk/publications) reports:
THE LOGS PROJECT - GETTING HEAT TO HOMES IN DUMFRIES
AND GALLOWAY
By Ann Stephenson, Senior Community Worker
Age Concern Scotland set up the Dumfries & Galloway Logs Project to
stop older people in our area going cold during the winter months for
want of fuel. As many older people in our region live in rural areas they
are dependent on a solid fuel fire for their heating. Logs are the
answer.
Firstly, Age Concern Scotland helps train and supervise teams to use
chainsaws. Local businesses and landowners supply the wood. The
teams cut it up for logs and pallets are chopped up for kindling. The
teams then bag and deliver free logs and kindling during the winter
months to older people identified by Age Concern Scotland, and at the
same time we take the opportunity to let them know about other
initiatives which might help them.
Last winter, hundreds of older people had a warmer winter thanks to
the project. Well over a hundred tons of fuel were delivered free direct to older people! This year, we hope to do more.
Contact
Age
Concern,
www.ageconcernscotland.org.uk
Dumfries
and
Galloway:
Transport
3.3
Public transport has been identified as a particular problem for older
people. Public transport in rural areas, particularly remote rural areas,
is either not provided in many areas or when it is, is infrequent.
3.4
Whilst it is acknowledged that pensioners are entitled to free public
transport by bus, this is of no benefit if there is no public transport in
rural areas. Services provided by community transport are not included
in the free travel package for the over 60s and several workshop
participants reported that community transport is felt to be expensive at
a rate of 47 pence per mile. With large distances to cover in rural areas
in order to reach GP services, a supermarket or other services, this
cost becomes prohibitive for single pensioners, preventing them from
accessing services as often as they would ideally require.
3.5
Missing medical appointments because of poor transport links in rural
areas has been mentioned in this context. This not only impacts on the
35
health of the individual pensioner, but on the resources of the NHS
services.
3.6
Accessing healthcare emerged as a key issue for single pensioners
when relying on public transport. When a single pensioner is admitted
to hospital, for example, this is often located in an urban area and the
distance from home makes hospital visits expensive and takes many
hours for family and friends. This often means that single pensioners
from rural areas do not receive visits when in hospital, impacting on
feelings of loneliness and isolation. This is supported by research,
which has found there is under provision of services in rural areas
compared with urban.19
3.7
Poor transport links impact on the choice that single pensioners have
when buying food and essential items and, often, they have little
alternative to the local shops. Workshop participants reported that the
cost of food in local shops in rural areas is usually much higher than
food in supermarkets.
3.8
For those living on the Scottish islands, travel to the mainland for
specialist healthcare is a common experience. The Scottish
Government provides an allowance for travel and Bed & Breakfast
accommodation.
3.9
However, workshop participants reported that for those with a limited
income, paying for refreshments, lunch and dinner could be very
expensive. In cases where a patient is referred to hospital and a
companion has travelled with them, the costs of accommodation and
meals for the companion is not subsidised in any way.
3.10
Workshop participants further stated that although the costs involved
do not stop people from making the trip for health care, it does create a
financial burden and in many cases people have to put money aside to
be able to afford the trip.
Isolation
3.11
The risk of isolation is an experience of pensioners living in urban
centres as well as in rural villages. However, as stated above, in rural
areas it is felt that poor transport and greater distances from services
compound this.
3.12
Older people want to continue to live at home for as long as they can
and there is a national target to “increase the percentage of people
aged 65 and over with high level care needs who are cared for at
home” 20. However, it was reported in workshops that delivering home
care and other personal care services is particularly difficult for service
19
Social Care Institute for Excellence (2007) Obstacles to Using and Providing Rural Social Care.
20
http://cci.scot.nhs.uk/About/scotPerforms/indicators/CareAtHome
36
providers delivering in rural areas. The long distances between clients
often mean that services cannot spend an adequate amount of time
with clients.
3.13
Alternative approaches through ‘telecare’ and ‘telehealth’ were felt to
be a good solution to the problem of distance. However, participants
thought that these should not replace face to face contact completely
and that clients should have a choice over which type of contact best
suits their needs.
3.14
With the out-migration of young people and families for employment
from rural to urban areas, social and family networks for single
pensioners are diminishing. In addition, with limited access to ‘home
care’ and private care services, the ambition to continue living at home
into old age is becoming an increasing problem for pensioners who do
not have the family support living nearby.
3.15
Whilst the risk of isolation was identified in all workshops as a
significant impact of poverty for single pensioners, it was suggested by
several participants that in their experience, rural communities still
benefit from greater community cohesion and stronger ‘community
spirit’ than urban communities. Often, communities make sure there is
ongoing contact with older people. There are also smaller rural areas
that have good levels of community support. Information about benefits
and financial support is often cascaded by word of mouth, highlighting
the importance of social contact and interchange.
Personal contact reaps benefits for single pensioners
Feedback from consultations suggests that personal, face-to-face
contact between benefits advisors and single pensioners brings
benefits to both the service provider and the client.
Home visits enable benefits advisors to observe single pensioners in
their own environment and to assess what additional support, if any,
the client may need. By sitting down with the client, benefits advisors
can clearly explain what benefits are available and answer questions
and allay any fears.
Developing a relationship with the client means that they are more
comfortable and more likely to telephone for further support at a later
date.
Cold calling and information sessions in village halls are often less
successful in reaching single pensioners.
37
Availability of Support Services in Rural Areas
3.16
One of the main findings from the workshops is that whilst in principle
support services are available for everyone living in a local authority
area, it is particularly difficult for people living in rural areas to access
key services due to the distance and low-density population issues.
3.17
One-to-one contact works best with single pensioners and service
providers acknowledge that this approach, combined with home visits,
enables staff to fully understand the support needs of the individual.
Home visits also provide an opportunity to help single pensioners
understand their entitlements and fill out forms. However, workshop
participants felt that there is a lack of one-to-one contact with single
pensioners in rural areas. This is mainly due to high costs involved for
service providers in reaching individuals in dispersed rural locations.
3.18
The closure of local Post Offices was raised as an important issue by
many participants who felt that, particularly for older people living in
small communities, a key service in terms of information about the
community and other services has been withdrawn. This requires
people to travel longer distances to another outlet.
3.19
It was reported that many remote rural areas suffer from a lack of
voluntary sector activities and clubs for pensioners. Where organised
activities do take place, there is often a cost implication and poorer
pensioners might not want to participate if they cannot afford to take
part in the same way as their peers. For example, the cost of attending
a lunch club can affect a pensioner’s allowance and if a pensioner does
attend he/she will not want to buy the cheapest items for fear of
appearing poor.
Summary Findings
• Single pensioners value self sufficiency and are often embarrassed
about seeking help or support. In rural areas, there is a particular
fear of making their problems visible to the whole community.
• In rural areas, single pensioners have few opportunities to increase
their income. Poor access to information and advice about benefits
and entitlements is likely to mean that many people do not receive
their full benefits.
• The climate in exposed remote areas means that it is important for
properties to be well maintained. Pensioners who are homeowners
often cannot afford repairs, and those in rented properties may be
reluctant to report problems or to make complaints.
• Many pensioners spend their days at home, due to the limited
availability of local activities, lack of income and poor transport
arrangements. This increases their fuel usage and, consequently,
fuel costs.
38
• Transport is a problem for many single pensioners, particularly in
remote rural areas where the bus service is infrequent or nonexistent. Services provided by community transport are not included
in the free travel package for people over 60.
• Accessing healthcare services is a key issue for single pensioners.
Poor transport links mean that medical appointments are difficult to
keep.
• The long distances between clients in rural areas means it is difficult
for service providers to deliver home care and other personal care
services that allow older people to live independently.
• Many remote rural areas have few organised activities for older
people and, where activities do take place, they are often too costly
for poorer pensioners.
• Although the social and family networks of single pensioners are
likely to diminish due to out-migration of young people and families
from rural areas, there are often good levels of informal community
support in smaller rural areas.
Single Parents
Context
21
22
3.20
Almost half of lone parents in Scotland experience income poverty.21
Single parents on a low income face many challenges regardless of
their geographic location.
3.21
With one household income having to pay for essential items for all
family members, single parents in poverty struggle to afford basic items
for the family as well as general activities or extra school activities for
their children. This can lead to a considerable pressure on parents who
often have to choose between paying for activities for their children and
basic needs such as food due to a fear that their children might be left
out or appear ‘different’ to their peers.22
3.22
Single parents often face greater barriers to entering employment than
other groups, primarily driven by the cost and availability of affordable
childcare. Usually, the cost of childcare takes a significant proportion of
income, so that single parents feel they have little choice but to stay at
home on benefit (benefit trap).
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2005) Measuring Poverty and Social Exclusion in Scotland
The Poverty Alliance (2008) Taking Forward the Government Economic Strategy Final Report
39
Experience of Poverty specific to the Rural Area (accessible/remote)
3.23
From our consultations and workshops several issues were identified
as contributing to the experience of poverty for single parents in remote
areas: greater distance to employment and childcare services; less
accessible and more expensive transport costs (due to distance);
leading to proportionately higher costs of living, thereby reducing the
available household budget.
3.24
While the same issues were identified for single parents living in
accessible rural areas (in contrast to their urban counterparts), single
parents on low income in remote areas were thought to be affected
more profoundly by the above-mentioned problems.
3.25
Workshop participants generally commented that, apart from the
increased extent, the problems affecting single parents in poverty in
accessible and remote rural areas are similar. The following summary
of key issues discussed during our fieldwork, therefore, relates to both
accessible and remote rural areas.
Access to Employment and Childcare
3.26
Our findings indicate that single parents in rural areas often find that
there is a poor variety of jobs available and that employment and
training options are limited. The chances for single parents to improve
their household income by accessing and/or improving their
employment are, therefore, low. Particularly in the more remote rural
areas, where employment is dominated by the agricultural sector, the
limited choice of low paid and low skill jobs makes it difficult for single
parents to increase their household income.
3.27
From consultations we found that low pay is a particular issue for
women in rural areas. Women make up the largest group of single
parents in Scotland. National and local consultees suggested that in
some rural areas, career advice for women often focuses on
‘traditional’ jobs for women. This reinforcement of gender stereotypes is
felt to contribute to the experience of poverty, as women are
encouraged into low paid jobs with limited prospects.
3.28
Consultees felt that employability programmes are not as successful in
rural areas due to the limited coverage and/or a lack of outreach
support services. This indicates a lack of information and accessibility
to services for single parents, reducing their chances to re-enter the
labour market and/or improve their employment position through
specifically designed support programmes.
3.29
As mentioned above, affordable childcare provision in rural areas (due
to low density and dispersed living, particularly in the remote rural
areas) constitutes one of the key barriers to employment for single
parents in rural Scotland.
40
3.30
Where childcare services do exist, childcare provision and places of
employment are unlikely to be in the same location meaning that single
parents face long journeys and increased travel costs to travel to and
from work and childcare provider. On low incomes, distance and
associated time and travel costs can make employment unpractical in
some cases.
3.31
Workshop participants reported that single parents in rural areas often
rely on family and friends for childcare. Single parents often pay for
‘informal’ childcare, but there is no financial help given for this
compared with formal childcare services.
3.32
Contrary to the views collected in our fieldwork, statistics from the
Annual Population Survey 200623 indicate that in remote and
accessible rural areas a greater proportion of lone parents are in work
compared with urban areas. This was not the perception of those who
participated in our research study. A possible explanation is that the
research participants have experience of working with lone parents
who are living in poverty - many of whom are not in employment.
Housing
3.33
A lack of affordable housing was highlighted as a key issue facing
single parents in rural areas. With a limited supply, single parents often
rent from the private sector or social sector. A number of consultees felt
that single parents would benefit from a greater supply of affordable
social housing in rural areas.
3.34
With a high number of second homes and holiday lets in rural areas the
supply of rental property from the private market is fairly limited.
Consultees reported that in many cases rental periods are short to fit
around the tourist or holiday season. Short rentals often lead to
disruption and upheaval on a three or four monthly basis and this often
means that single parent families have to move from one area to
another, leaving their social support structures behind.
3.35
Rent and mortgage arrears were raised as a further problem that single
parents may encounter in rural areas to a greater extent than their
urban counterparts. It was felt by some consultees that the increased
costs of living in rural areas on a small budget combined with limited
access to financial advice and support increases the risk of single
parents falling into rent or mortgage arrears.
3.36
For single parents living in poverty, feeding, clothing and keeping
children warm is the key priority and when income is particularly low
and budgets tight, there is a risk of single parents being unable to
23
Table 5: Working Age Employment Rates and Levels for Lone Parents
(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/26165000/0)
41
afford rent or mortgage payments. The outcome of this could be
homelessness.
3.37
Where people present as homeless in rural areas, they are often
placed in another village, unlikely to be within easy reach of their
previous support network. Again, consultees indicated that this could
have further impacts on childcare, employment opportunities and
access to support. On a more social level, the repeated uprooting and
disruption of family life can have serious impacts on social behaviour.
Transport
3.38
Single parents who depend on public transport in rural areas where
services are infrequent and expensive experience an increased burden
of time and cost.
3.39
The cost of journeys on public transport uses a significant proportion of
household income making it difficult or pointless to access cheaper
food shops located further afield. The cost of journeys also impacts on
children/young people who often can’t afford to participate in social
and/or sport activities organised at locations difficult to reach or far
away from home.
3.40
For example, a sports club in Elgin charges £2 a night for a class but
for children living in the surrounding rural area, the cost of attending is
much higher due to the travel costs involved. For families on low
incomes, these sorts of activities are considered luxuries and are often
not affordable, thereby excluding their children from social interaction
and extra-curriculum activities, if access to private transport cannot be
provided.
3.41
In addition, single parents often have to travel either by public or private
transport to access services such as Job Centre Plus, banks, housing
offices, benefits advice and citizens advice. It was reported that in
some cases the cost of travelling to collect benefits uses up a
significant proportion of the benefit income. Where benefits are paid
directly into bank accounts, many people in rural areas have to travel to
access their funds as few banks provide mobile services and cash
withdrawal machines are relatively rare.
3.42
The general view of participants was that car ownership in rural areas
is a necessity for single parents. Because of increased fuel costs and
general running costs/maintenance/repair costs, car ownership is
nevertheless very difficult for families living in poverty in light of the fact
that scarce resources need to buy essentials and provide money for
children’s activities.
3.43
For those living on the islands, travelling to the mainland is expensive.
For pensioners, the Scottish Government pays for two return trips per
year and for disabled people with mobility problems there are also
subsidies. Single parents on low incomes, however, are not eligible for
42
discounts. Workshop participants felt that this should be addressed
with discounts being made available for all vulnerable groups.
Availability of Support Services in Rural Areas
3.44
As mentioned before, support services are usually available at central
locations, towns, and urban centres. The further away people live from
those locations, the more difficult it is to access those services,
particularly if reliant on infrequent and expensive public transport.
3.45
Workshop participants felt that single parents in rural areas do not
benefit from the same level of employability support to help them
develop new skills and enter the labour market. Where support was
available, consultees stated that there was a risk that the training might
not reflect the job opportunities in the local areas.
3.46
In this context, but on a more general basis, it was reported that for
some employers recruiting and retaining professional staff is often
difficult. Despite the fact that for many posts, salary levels are
comparable to urban areas, people with the relevant skills either do not
live locally or do not want to relocate from urban areas to take up
vacancies. This suggests that more effort needs to be taken by training
providers to train local people for local jobs. In addition, it was reported
that the difficulty recruiting and retaining adequate staff has an impact
on service delivery in rural areas due to the lower number of resources
available.
Summary Findings
• There is a shortage of affordable childcare services in rural areas
making it harder for single parents to take up and sustain
employment.
• Infrequent and expensive public transport acts as a barrier to
employment for many single parents, and increases the cost of
family outings, childcare provision.
• Employment and training options for single parents are limited in
rural areas. Jobs are often low paid and low skilled.
• With a high number of second homes and holiday lets in rural areas,
the supply of long lease rental property from the private market is
limited. This leads to upheaval and disruption for single parent
families every three or four months.
• Single parents on low incomes who live on the islands are not
entitled to the travel discounts that pensioners and people with
mobility problems are entitled to.
• Single parents in rural areas have less employability support than if
they were in urban areas.
43
Disabled People
Context
3.47
Disabled adults are twice as likely as any other group to experience
poverty24, regardless of location. In 2006, 47.4% of working age adults
in Scotland with a disability were in employment.25
3.48
Low incomes from employment/benefits are stretched to pay for
support services, carers, aids and adaptations, prescription costs and
additional items that help people manage their disability.
3.49
Disabled people living in poverty face similar choices and barriers as
other vulnerable groups. For disabled people who are able to work, the
cost and availability of childcare and transport costs are key
considerations.
3.50
A lack of employment opportunities impacts disabled adults’ ability to
improve their income. Employer attitudes and inflexible approaches to
working arrangements often mean that skilled disabled people
experience problems entering the labour market.26
3.51
The disability of one family member often affects other family members
substantially by forcing them to give up their paid employment and
become fulltime carers. This has considerable negative impacts on the
household income.
Experience of Poverty specific to the Rural Area (accessible/remote)
3.52
From our fieldwork programme it was found that in rural areas, the
experience of poverty of disabled people is exacerbated by a lack of
employment opportunities, high transport costs, limited access to
support services, and increased cost of living.
3.53
The need for support staff and carers differentiates the situation of
many disabled people from other population groups. In this context,
rural areas, particularly remote rural areas, are less frequently served
by support organisations, due to issues of geographical distance and/or
availability of volunteers/staff.
3.54
Many support organisations believed that the more remotely a disabled
person lives, the more unlikely it is that this person will be able to
access as many activities and services as those living in urban areas.
The risk of isolation and loneliness is considered high.
24
Leonard Cheshire (2008) Disability Poverty in the UK
Table 4: Working age employment rates and levels for people with a disability, 2005-2006
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/06/26165000/7
26
http://www.capabilityscotland.org.uk
25
44
Employment Opportunities
3.55
National and local consultees reported that disabled people living in
poverty in rural areas have limited options in terms of increasing their
income. There are fewer work opportunities for disabled people in rural
areas making it more difficult for those already in work to seek new,
higher paid opportunities, and for those out of work, to join the job
market.
3.56
It was reported that some employers in rural areas might be reluctant to
employ disabled people due to concerns over poor attendance, illness
and time lost for hospital appointments. This attitude was felt to be
more common in rural areas than in urban settings.
3.57
Consultees reported that disabled people in urban areas benefit from
tailored employability and training support and that this doesn’t extend
to those living in rural areas.
3.58
Furthermore, home working was considered more difficult in rural areas
due to poor broadband connections and employers’ reluctance to offer
more flexible working patterns. Workshop participants felt that
increased acceptance of home working would help disabled people
enter the labour market and would reduce the need for transport which
is often expensive.
3.59
The availability and cost of childcare is also a consideration for
disabled parents who are seeking employment or training. A poor
supply of childcare services and the travel distances to reach these
services is prohibitive for many people, including those with disabilities,
wishing to return to work.
Transport
3.60
In common with the other vulnerable groups, disabled people
experience particular problems with transport – private and public.
Infrequency of public transport services often means that disabled
people leave their homes for a full day, maybe to attend a one hour
appointment, meaning that they have to wait around for many hours for
their return trip.
3.61
The need for a carer to accompany a disabled person implies in many
cases that the difficulties faced in terms of time and costs involved are
doubled reducing household finances further. This affects disabled
people more than the other vulnerable groups.
3.62
People with learning difficulties were highlighted as one group that
often struggles with public transport and are often unable to travel
unaccompanied. People with learning disabilities are also less likely to
drive and have a greater reliance on public transport and a greater
need for outreach services.
45
Access to Support Services
3.63
Similar to the experience of the other vulnerable groups, awareness of
support services and organised activities is an important starting point
in improving the lives of disabled people living in poverty and in need of
support. As pointed out elsewhere, workshop participants reported that
Post Office closures have led to a considerable gap in communication
between service providers and possible clients.
3.64
As in the case of elderly people, GP practices are increasingly being
used to relay information about other service providers to disabled
people. However, this depends greatly on the individual awareness of
GPs about existing support services and their willingness to cooperate.
3.65
Support organisations reported that affordable and available meeting
places in rural areas have decreased over time. This further contributes
to the centralisation of service provision to more urban locations. This
then requires disabled people to travel in order to access services,
respite care, day care, or other organised activities. Long distances
lead to high expenditure and as a result it is less likely that services will
be accessed by those with a very limited income.
3.66
Carers of disabled people often experience poverty and workshop
participants suggested that carers are also a vulnerable group. This is
particularly the case in rural areas where there is limited support
available to them.
3.67
With the limited accessibility and cover of support services for disabled
people in rural areas, workshop participants felt that the social care
concept of ‘Right of Choice’ is not being maintained in rural areas, as
choice and opportunity is much more restricted. This ‘Right of Choice’
concept means that those needing social care should have a choice of
services and providers that they can access for support and care. In
rural areas, the choice is limited due to a lack of outreach services,
poor physical access to services and a lesser presence of the voluntary
sector than in urban areas.
3.68
Many disabled people, as well as older people, rely on social support
structures provided by family, friends and neighbours to help with daily
tasks. In rural areas, with out-migration of families and young people, it
was suggested that this support is starting to decrease and to become
more fragmented contributing to the increased risk of isolation and
loneliness.
3.69
Finally, workshop participants reported that disabled people experience
physical barriers when accessing services. Many buildings are
inaccessible for disabled people with mobility problems in rural areas. It
was said that this was due to services and shops generally being
smaller and, therefore, not having upgraded their facilities in light of the
Disability Discrimination Act 2005.
46
Cost of Living
3.70
Disabled people face similar difficulties as other vulnerable groups in
relation to cost and unreliability of public transport. Participants
reported that for many disabled people the cost of public transport uses
a significant proportion of their income. This is mainly due to the longer
travel distances in rural areas and in some cases, the need for a carer
to also travel. For those who have to use public transport, participants
stated that costs as well as frequency are the main barriers.
3.71
Heating the home is a proportionately higher expense for disabled
people, as they are reported to stay at home more often due to the lack
of available places for them to attend during the day. This means that
fuel costs are a lot higher due to continued use. Like single pensioners
and other vulnerable groups, disabled people living in rural areas will
face similar issues related to housing quality and energy efficiency.
3.72
Disabled people often need aids and adaptations installed in their
homes. In rural areas, it is thought that the supply of adapted,
accessible homes for disabled people is poor. In many cases this
means that disabled people have to apply and pay for adaptations from
their own income. For those on low incomes this has a significant
impact on their budget.
Isolation
3.73
Isolation and lack of contact with the community is the experience of
many disabled people living in poverty in rural areas. For those people
who don’t have friends or family to drive them to services, there are
substantial difficulties accessing and paying for transport. With the
result of being unable to leave their homes or their immediate area.
3.74
Being unable to participate in social and leisure activities is a common
experience of disabled people living in poverty. The cost of travelling to
events and paying for activities often uses an unaffordable proportion
of income.
Availability of Support Services in Rural Areas
3.75
Our discussions with workshop participants and national stakeholders
revealed that support services are believed to be less frequently
available for disabled people in rural areas and that the voluntary
sector is not as active compared with urban areas. This might be a
direct consequence of the increasing tendency of public and voluntary
sector organisations to centralise their services in urban centres
impacting negatively on the disabled people living in poverty in rural
areas.
3.76
The infrequency of services is primarily thought to be due to the cost of
delivery in rural areas being higher due to increased costs and time for
travel. It was reported that support staff often struggle to provide their
47
services to those who need them on a daily basis, if they live in a
remote rural area.
3.77
As a result, it is believed that disabled people in rural areas are less
supported by existing service providers and are, therefore, relying to a
greater extent on family support.
3.78
Consultees suggested that urban areas benefit from greater voluntary
sector services ranging from financial advice to community-based
activities. In rural areas, it is felt that disabled people do not have the
same range of choices regarding access to lunch clubs, social groups
and supported activities.
Summary Findings
• The more remote the rural location, the less likely it is for the area to
be served by support organisations, as well as the full range of
services required by people with disabilities.
• Disabled people face the same problems as other vulnerable groups
in relation to the infrequency and cost of public transport. These
difficulties are exacerbated if the disabled person needs to be
accompanied by a carer when travelling.
• There are fewer work opportunities for disabled people in rural areas
and employability and training services do not appear to be tailored
in the same way as in urban areas.
• Increased acceptance of home working would help disabled people
to enter the labour market and reduce travel costs. Currently, home
working is difficult in rural areas due to poor broadband connections
and employers’ reluctance to offer flexible working patterns.
• Many disabled people experience physical barriers when accessing
services. As services are smaller in rural areas, providers may not
have upgraded facilities in line with the Disability Discrimination Act
2005.
• The supply of adapted accessible homes for disabled people is poor
in rural areas and, it is reported, disabled people may have to apply
and pay for adaptations from their own income.
48
People with Mental Ill Health
Context
3.79
Mental ill health and poverty are closely linked. Research by the World
Health Organisation suggests that common mental disorders are
almost twice as frequent amongst those living on low incomes as
amongst the wealthy. The experience and stress of living in poverty
often makes the mental ill health worse.27 This research also found that
there is a two-way relationship between mental ill health and poverty –
poverty increases the risk of mental ill health and mental ill health
increases the risk of falling into poverty.
3.80
People experiencing mental ill health often struggle to stay in
employment due to their illness but also due to time required away from
work for hospital appointments that often conflict with employers’ needs
and work practices.
3.81
Low income exacerbates the problems faced by people with mental ill
health and it has been found that this affects social contact aggravating
problems of isolation.28
3.82
Common experiences of people with mental ill health include struggling
to access support; difficulty in applying for benefits; social stigma and
prejudice; and problems entering the labour market.
Experience of Poverty specific to the Rural Area (accessible/remote)
3.83
In common with the other vulnerable groups, those with mental ill
health living in rural areas face particular challenges and as a
consequence, their experience of poverty is exacerbated by their rural
location. Again, the more remotely a person lives, the more difficult and
expensive it is for him/her to access services, including health care,
employment and training.
3.84
The experience of people with mental ill health living in poverty is in
many cases believed to be quite similar wherever the person lives.
According to interviewees, people with mental ill health, particularly
those suffering from depression, are likely to withdraw themselves from
social contact and community activity.
3.85
The relative ease of accessing GP practices and/or other health
providers is, maybe, the most differentiating factor between people
living in accessible rural areas and those in more remote locations.
27
World Health Organisation Mental Health, Poverty & Development
(www.who.int/mental_health/policy/development/1_Breakingviciouscycle_Infosheet.pdf)
28
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2007) Long Term Ill health, poverty and ethnicity
49
Employment and Training
3.86
Many unemployed people with mental ill health find it very difficult to
access training and employment in general, but according to workshop
participants, this is more difficult the more rural a person lives. It was
thought that in rural areas the stigma attached to people with mental ill
health is more profound than in urban areas, making it more difficult to
find more open-minded employers.
3.87
Limited training opportunities and poor access to careers advice were
also discussed as problems for people with mental ill health wishing to
improve their skills and find work.
Cost of Living
3.88
People with mental ill health face very similar issues regarding living
costs as other vulnerable groups discussed earlier. However, due to
their illness they are said to spend most of their time at home. This
increases the financial pressure due to high-energy bills and is most
likely to be aggravated by poor housing quality. As a result, many
people might be exposed to unacceptable living conditions.
3.89
The cost of public transport and community transport is problematic too
for people with mental ill health who are not eligible for the same
discounts as some other vulnerable groups (e.g. pensioners). The cost
of travelling to access health care, collect benefits or access services
often uses a considerable proportion of their income.
Accessing Services and Support
3.90
People with mental ill health living in poverty in dispersed, rural areas
are often less visible to support services, making it harder for services
to engage with them.
3.91
Similar issues prevail as for other vulnerable groups, including
decreasing access points for information (i.e. post offices) and high
travel costs and excessive time needed to access more centralised
services, including health provision.
3.92
However, in some areas, outreach work has been reported as effective
where specialist services have been specifically designed to serve a
rural area. However, for those living with mental ill health, more
specialist services relating to money advice and support would be
welcomed, according to some workshop participants.
3.93
In common with some other vulnerable groups, many people with
mental ill health living in poverty feel embarrassed and wish their
problems to remain unknown to the local community. Some people are,
therefore, reluctant to access support in order to avoid their problems
becoming known. Service providers have taken steps to address this in
50
some areas with psychiatric nurses dressing in plain clothes and using
cars without care services logos.
Penicuik and Dalkeith Citizens Advice Bureau Community
Outreach
In order to help people suffering from mental ill health accessing
support and information services, Penicuik and Dalkeith Citizen’s
Advice Bureau have a joint Community Outreach Service project
targeted at mental health service users.
Referrals are received from Community Psychiatric Nurses and other
health professionals, upon which an outreach worker provides a home
visiting service to individual households. Alternatively advice sessions
can be held in a number of public outreach locations in the service
area.
Our workshop consultations found that the advice provision to mental
health service users is highly regarded by service users as well as
professionals who comment on the workers empathetic, holistic
approach.
To find out more about this initiative, contact:
bureau@dalkeithcab.casonline.org.uk
Isolation
3.94
Greater access to green space and a better physical environment is felt
to help some people with mental ill health living in rural areas.
3.95
However, it was generally felt that for many the rural location brings
greater isolation than in urban areas. Whilst the physical environment
may help, the lack of contact with services and lack of access to
bespoke activities reduces the chances for mental health improvement.
3.96
Workshop participants commented that people with mental ill health in
rural areas are often invisible to the community and to service
providers, which further compounds the risk of isolation.
Availability of Support Services in Rural Areas
3.97
Support services for people with mental ill health living in poverty in
rural areas are patchy. From workshop feedback, it is suggested that
centralisation of services makes it very difficult to raise awareness of
what help and support is available. The impact of this is that people
often do not know what benefits they are entitled to or what financial
and other support is available.
51
3.98
Workshop participants reported that health care service providers play
an important role in signposting individuals to other support services
including JobCentre Plus and employability programmes, and that this
would benefit from better joined up service provision.
Training, Guidance and Supported Placement in the Highlands
(TAG)
TAG is an initiative that provides opportunities for training, guidance
and supported placement in a positive environment for unemployed
adults who have experienced mental health problems. Public and
employer acceptance of mental ill health is a key issue and TAG
works also with employers to improve this.
The initiative is funded with assistance from the European Social
Fund, Highland Primary Care Trust, Highland Council Social Work
Dept., and a range of Enterprise companies.
TAG offers a range of training covering care, occupational, practical
and job seeking skills, complemented with the opportunity to access
work experience and supported placement.
Each trainee can determine their own progression route and
experience a realistic path back into employment or further education,
with continuing support into employment were appropriate.
The particular benefits of TAG are described as follows:
• Individual training programmes to help people establish
structure and routine.
• Individual vocational guidance and profiling with regular
interviews.
• A range of validated training by SQA, OCR, and City and
Guilds.
• Work experience and supported placement with local
employers.
• Ongoing support to sustain employment aims.
Trainees can access the programme over a period of approximately
12 months.
TAG workers are employed by NHS Highland and work across the
Highlands area.
For more information: www.caithness.org (follow ‘links’, then ‘training
and guidance’)
3.99
Outreach services do operate in some rural locations and workshop
participants felt that these could be extended and that some services
could be mobile, for example health and welfare advice.
52
Summary Findings
• The problems associated with low income exacerbate the symptoms
experienced by people with mental ill health.
• People with mental ill health find it particularly difficult to access
training and employment in rural areas. It is reported that the stigma
attaching to mental illness is more profound in rural than in urban
areas.
• People with mental ill health living in poverty in dispersed, rural
areas are often less visible to support services, making engagement
difficult.
• Some people are reluctant to access support in order to avoid their
problems becoming known. Service providers have taken steps to
address this difficulty in some rural areas – with psychiatric nurses
dressing in plain clothes and using cars without care service logos.
• Better access to green space is felt to help some people with mental
ill health, but the rural location also brings greater isolation than in
urban areas.
Migrant Workers
Context
3.100 This research study aimed to investigate the experience of migrant
workers living in poverty in rural areas. It is recognised that statistics
are not available to help identify whether the group is in the lowest
three deciles of income. However, available anecdotal evidence
indicates that migrant workers are living in poverty in rural areas.
3.101 Many migrant workers living in Scotland, regardless of urban or rural
location, are living in poverty and experience poor working conditions. It
is important to recognise that migrant workers are not a homogenous
group and not all migrant workers are living in poverty, particularly
those working in skilled jobs. However, in Scotland many professional
qualifications that migrant workers hold are not recognised forcing
people into working below their abilities and qualifications.
3.102 Migrant workers living in poverty are often in low skilled, low paid jobs.
There are reports of gang masters ‘managing’ groups of migrant
workers and of questionable deductions being taken from salaries (for
example, to pay for tied accommodation).29 The income received by
many migrant workers in this situation is particularly low and there is
evidence of migrant workers receiving less than the minimum wage.30
29
30
Commission on Vulnerable Employment Trades Union Congress (2008) Hard Work, Hidden Lives
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/applications/blogs/pressoffice/?p=1083
53
Such exploitation of migrant workers is particularly prevalent in the
agricultural sector within rural areas.
3.103 For many migrant workers accommodation is overcrowded and often
poorly maintained by private landlords.
3.104 A further issue for migrant workers in both urban and rural settings is a
general lack of awareness and understanding of legal rights and
entitlements as well as a lack of awareness of support services that
they can access for support.31 Communication problems further
compound the problem of accessing services with many migrant
workers unable to speak English and support services not offering an
interpreter service.
3.105 This is supported by research, which has found that there is evidence
of migrant workers not making use of health care services. It is
suggested in the research that low wages and poor housing conditions
make migrant workers a high-risk group in terms of homelessness and
isolation.32
3.106 Migrant workers come to Scotland for a variety of reasons including: to
work to send money to their home country; to work and build a new life
in Scotland; and in some cases, to earn money to repay debts in their
home country. Workshop participants reported that many migrant
workers focussing on sending money home to their families or to repay
debt are less concerned about living conditions, overcrowding and low
pay and do not consider themselves as living in poverty. For these
migrant workers there is limited incentive to learn English.
Experience of Poverty specific to the Rural Area (accessible/remote)
3.107 Migrant workers live and work across Scotland and many are attracted
to rural areas due to the agricultural work available in those areas.
Grampian and Tayside have had a large population of migrant workers
for many years.
3.108 Research has found that migrant workers are an important part of the
food processing, agricultural and hospitality sectors in these areas.33
Work is often low paid and is seasonal.34 The nature of employment in
rural areas, the reliance on seasonal agricultural jobs means that many
migrant workers face unemployment and homelessness at certain
times of the year. This is particularly emphasised in remote rural areas,
where employment opportunities are less varied than in accessible
rural areas or urban areas.
31
http://www.cas.org.uk/pressrelease1262006.aspx
Social Care Institute for Excellence (2007) Obstacles to Using and Providing Rural Social Care
33
Communities Scotland (2006) A Study of Migrant Workers in Grampian
34
Communities Scotland (2006) Tayside Migrant Labour Population: Scale, Impacts and Experiences
32
54
3.109 In common with the other vulnerable groups, the experience of poverty
for migrant workers living in rural areas is exacerbated the more remote
a location is. Migrant workers face particular challenges based on their
ability to speak English as a foreign language. This impacts
fundamentally on their awareness and knowledge of available services
and information. Like other vulnerable groups in rural areas
employment and income, accommodation, transport, and access to
services are additional challenges.
Employment and Income
3.110 Workshop findings confirm that migrant workers in rural areas are
largely employed in low paid agricultural jobs and live in overcrowded
and poor quality farm accommodation. Workshop participants stated
that employers often deduct accommodation costs from workers’
wages leaving migrant workers with a very limited income to purchase
essential items.
3.111 It was reported that for some migrant workers in rural areas the terms
and conditions of employment are particularly bad. However, due to job
insecurity and communication issues many migrant workers do not
seek help or support.
3.112 Those migrant workers with skills and qualifications living in rural areas
are less likely to find suitable employment equivalent to their skills and
are most likely to work in low paid and low skilled jobs due to the
restricted labour market in rural areas.
Moray Initiative
Although small in scale this initiative demonstrates that it does not
always require large amounts of funding to make a difference. The
workshop consultations found that a small initiative in Moray
addressed the issues of reaching migrant workers effectively by
employing a Polish student to work with the local authority.
The post was funded by Highland and Islands
accommodation was provided by the local church.
Enterprise;
The student acted as a contact and liaison person between Moray
Council and Polish migrant workers. Being substantially briefed by the
Council about the various support services, the student could relate
important information to the target group.
At the same time, the student provided English tuition to migrant
workers and translated the Council’s welcome pack into Polish.
55
Accommodation
3.113 The overall finding from consultations is that accommodation in rural
areas is often worse for migrant workers than in urban areas. Whilst
there is recognition that there is poor quality, overcrowded housing in
both settings it is felt that the levels of poor quality accommodation in
rural areas, particularly on farms, is higher.
3.114 Workshop participants suggested that where migrant workers are living
in tied accommodation, losing employment has a significant impact and
leads to homelessness. When this happens, migrant workers have no
money to pay for transport to their home country and, due to their often
persistent language difficulties, are often unaware of what services are
available that can offer support.
Transport
3.115 Migrant workers are unlikely to own their own transport and, therefore,
have to rely on public transport. The lack of and/or infrequency of
public transport services in rural areas and between rural villages
impacts migrant workers in terms of isolation, but also restricts their
ability to access services.
Access to Services
3.116 Access to services for migrant workers is poor. For many migrant
workers living in rural areas and often in remote farms, there is a lack
of awareness of what services are available to them. Workshop
participants reported that migrant workers have less access to Citizen’s
Advice and other advice services. Long working hours, shift patterns
and infrequent or no transport also compounds the problem of
accessing services for migrant workers.
3.117 The evidence from workshops suggests that community support for
migrant workers varies. In some rural areas support is poor and is
compounded by migrant workers living apart from the community.
There have been several initiatives to integrate migrant workers within
local communities and of communities working together to learn more
about each other’s lives and customs.
3.118 It was felt by some consultees that in some areas of Tayside the influx
of migrant workers have had an impact on the local population. One
example that was highlighted is the impact on Gypsies/Travellers who
would traditionally work in the agricultural sector and take up seasonal
employment. With migrant workers employed in the agricultural sector
it is felt that the incomes of Gypsies/Travellers will have been impacted.
Consultees felt that whilst there is currently no statistical evidence or
research on this subject, it is important for policy makers to consider.
56
Teaching English at the Shipyards
A further initiative targeted at migrant workers was highlighted by our
workshop participants, referring to Moray Council providing migrant
workers with English Language classes at the Buckie Shipyard. The
classes were designed to deliver at times which complemented
migrant workers’ shift patterns. This required flexibility of teachers.
Advertisements were placed around the Moray area in five different
languages and migrant workers were contacted in a wide range of
manners including text, email, and telephone. The migrant workers
were asked to provide details of shift patterns and courses were
scheduled around these. For example, evenings from 7pm-9pm, or
late mornings, as required.
Some free child care facilities were offered for some classes if and
when required. Classes were targeted to the level of tuition needed.
The initiative was reported to work well. The fact that there was a
Native Polish speaker who helped with recruitment improved numbers
and made the courses for migrant workers easier to access. (See
previous text box ‘Moray Initiative’).
For further information contact: Moray Council: 01343 543 451
Availability of Support Services in Rural Areas
3.119 In urban areas there is a critical mass of migrant workers making them
more visible to service providers who find it easier to access the
migrant worker community with information about available services. In
rural areas, there isn’t this critical mass, which impacts awareness and
uptake of services.
3.120 Migrant workers predominantly work in the agricultural sector in rural
areas which would suggest that they would be more visible, however,
given the nature of the sector, employees are dispersed across
geographic areas. Further, it was reported that in areas where there
are many migrant workers with different nationalities it is often the
larger population group (for example, Polish migrants) that receive
greater support, to the detriment of other groups (for example,
Slovakians). It was felt that this is due to increased awareness of the
larger groups by service providers.
3.121 Some areas in the North East have a history of migrant workers living
and working in the area and several local authorities have developed
“Welcome to...” packs which provide information about banking
services, libraries and other services in an attempt to signpost migrant
workers to essential services. Workshop participants feel that these
packs have been valuable to new migrants settling in the area.
57
3.122 Language and communication problems further compound the problem
of accessing services. Migrant workers often don’t speak English and in
rural areas service providers don’t have the same access to interpreter
services as service providers in urban areas. Further, the cost of
interpreters is particularly high which can be problematic for voluntary
organisations that operate on limited budgets.
3.123 There are many examples of English language classes being made
available to migrant workers in rural areas; however issues over
transport and the cost of transport are creating a barrier to accessing
these classes.
3.124 Access to the Internet is limited for migrant workers in rural Scotland.
Consultees, however, reported that larger employers do offer Internet
access and support services in the workplace.
3.125 Interestingly, workshop participants reported that the needs of migrant
workers change over time. The nature of enquiry to support services
changes depending on the stage that the migrant worker is at. For
example, when a migrant worker first comes to work in Scotland the
enquiries for information cover employment, pay rates and cost of living
and later, when the migrant worker is settled and has family in Scotland
the enquiry changes to become about benefits, entitlements and
housing in much the same way as the general population.
Summary Findings
• The most acute problem faced by many migrant workers is their lack
of understanding of English. This affects their awareness of services
available to them.
• Migrant workers are not a homogeneous group and have a range of
different motivations. Their service needs differ accordingly.
• The nature of employment in rural areas (seasonal, agricultural)
means that many migrant workers face unemployment and
homelessness at certain times of the year.
• The terms and conditions of employment for migrant workers in rural
areas are particularly bad. Many migrant workers fail to seek help or
support due to communication problems and fears about job
insecurity.
• Accommodation for migrant workers is often worse in rural than in
urban areas.
Where migrant workers are living in tied
accommodation, losing employment has a significant impact, as it
leads to homelessness.
58
• Migrant workers living in remote rural areas find it particularly difficult
to access services for financial and other advice, due to long working
hours, shift patterns and transport problems.
• Several local authorities have developed welcome packs which
provide information about essential services for new migrant
workers. These are felt to be valuable.
• The recent influx of migrants may have had an impact on the work
opportunities available to other marginalised groups in rural areas
(eg Gypsies/Travellers).
59
4 THE DEFINITION OF POVERTY
Introduction
4.1
The definition of poverty presented below is a standard definition and
measure that is used by the Scottish and UK governments to gain an
understanding of the levels of poverty and to compare with other
nations who also use this measure. The current definition is income
based and does not consider geography.
The Definition of Poverty
The usual definition of relative low income are households whose
equivalised income before housing costs is below 60% of the median
(i.e. midpoint) income in the U.K. in the same year.
Income is the income from all sources for all members of the
household but after deductions for income tax, National Insurance
contributions, council tax, pension contributions and maintenance
payments.
Equivalisation allows for differences in the size and composition of
households, and recognises that a family of several people requires a
higher income than a single person in order for both households to
have a similar standard of living.
It is assumed that all individuals in the household benefit equally from
the combined equivalised income of the household.
For a couple with no children the U.K. median income before housing
costs in 2006-07 was £377 per week. The relative low income level
was therefore £226 per week.
Feedback from Study Participants
4.2
A key question throughout this study related to the appropriateness of
the definition of poverty at a Scottish level to address the relevant
issues.
4.3
The consultations with national stakeholders and discussions in the
local workshops indicate that there is an acceptance of the need for a
standard definition that enables comparisons with other countries. For
some participants the current measure is appropriate for making these
comparisons as well as providing an indication of poverty levels on a
national scale. Whilst participants understand the need to have a ‘cut
off point’ below which a person is considered in poverty, it was felt that
expenditure should be a feature of the definition.
60
4.4
Many participants expressed surprise and disagreement with the
definition of relative poverty being used and many felt that housing
costs should be a key variable in any calculations.
4.5
Poverty is not simply a measure of income is a view that many
participants at local workshops expressed. Wider causes and impacts
of living in poverty were highlighted as important considerations when
attempting to understand the levels of poverty in Scotland.
4.6
The majority of participants felt that a distinctive definition of poverty is
not needed but that increased expenditure in rural areas should be
considered and reflected in any poverty measure.
4.7
Whilst not a definition of poverty, the Scottish Index of Multiple
Deprivation (SIMD) was raised as an issue by both national and local
stakeholders who feel that it is inappropriate and unhelpful in identifying
areas of poverty within rural Scotland. The SIMD is considered as
urban focussed. SIMD is felt to be particularly unhelpful for gaining
funding for projects and services in rural areas as it highlights
deprivation at a street or post code level meaning that for rural areas,
where there isn’t the volume or density of poor households in one area,
the SIMD does not highlight these.
4.8
Whilst the perception of participants is that SIMD is unhelpful, it is
important to note that SIMD is not designed to identify rural poverty but
to identify small area concentrations of multiple deprivation across
Scotland, in both urban and rural areas. In rural areas the population is
often mixed (affluent and poor) and dispersed. Therefore
concentrations of deprivation are perhaps less likely to be highlighted
using SIMD. This does not mean that deprivation doesn’t exist in those
areas, but that SIMD is not the appropriate tool to identify this.
4.9
With few tools available to identify rural poverty there is perhaps an
overreliance on SIMD data within local areas in making funding
decisions. Where this is the case, more intelligence is perhaps needed
at a local level to identify and understand the local population and
communities of interest who are living in poverty.
4.10
Feedback suggests that stakeholders feel that the focus on larger
regeneration areas in terms of funding and other resources is to the
detriment of smaller communities living in poverty in rural areas.
4.11
Finally, many local participants felt that the definition of poverty is not
accessible in the way it is written and would welcome a version in plain
English that is understandable to lay people.
61
5
TACKLING RURAL POVERTY
5.1
Our discussions with national and local stakeholders covered local
initiatives, support services and suggested solutions and these are
presented in this chapter.
5.2
Improving the experiences of people living in poverty in rural areas may
involve developing targeted solutions to tackle particular issues and
several were proposed in our workshops.
Transport
5.3
A key issue for all of the vulnerable groups, public transport in rural
areas exacerbates many of the problems faced by people living in
poverty. Workshop participants suggested that a more flexible
approach is needed in providing public transport and ideas included:
•
increased subsidies for transport providers to ensure that the
needs of the community are being met;
•
free community transport for pensioners and disabled people; and
•
increase the number of transport services between rural areas.
Support Services
5.4
Workshop participants, many of whom are service providers, felt that
providing services in rural areas could be improved greatly if key
organisations work together. This would lead to more efficiency in
terms of resources but could also make services more effective. For
example, GP services could host outreach services from other
healthcare providers, benefits advice and other support organisations.
Local GP practices are used by the whole community and by having
outreach services within practices, the stigma or embarrassment
associated with seeking support may be reduced.
5.5
A further suggestion was that village halls could be used more for dropin services and that service providers could join-up to reduce travel
costs and, therefore, reduce the cost per head of service delivery
(which is often much higher in rural areas).
5.6
Flexible approaches to service delivery are needed in rural areas and
participants felt that mobile services could offer a good alternative for
people who cannot afford to or are unable to travel. Banks already offer
mobile services in rural areas and participants felt that this must be a
realistic option for other support providers including the Post Office.
62
Technology
5.7
With increased costs of delivering services experienced by public and
voluntary sector service providers, participants felt that the internet
could play a key role in getting key information to the people that need
it. Organisations including Age Concern and Shelter already have
information and advice on their websites for vulnerable groups and this
is felt to be successful.
5.8
Several participants agreed that more information and advice available
on the internet would be beneficial. However, poor broadband
connections in many rural areas and the cost of IT equipment may lead
to many people being unable to access key information and advice. To
overcome this, participants suggested that local schools could be used
more effectively. Extending the opening hours of local schools and
inviting local people to use the resources available there would make
computers and the internet more accessible for the whole community.
5.9
Several workshop participants felt that more innovative approaches are
needed in tackling the problems associated with living in rural areas
and that using existing resources and infrastructure provides a good
opportunity to improve people’s lives at a fairly manageable cost for
service providers.
Evidencing Rural Poverty
5.10
Improving the evidence base on rural poverty was a key issue for
several national and local consultees who feel that there is a lot of
hidden poverty in rural areas. More detailed statistical evidence would
be welcomed by stakeholders who feel that current data does not
highlight the problems sufficiently.
5.11
Participants report that in rural areas there are many examples of
wealthy people and people in poverty living side by side, making it
increasingly difficult to identify households living in poverty. Because of
this, participants felt that the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
(SIMD) is not an inappropriate tool for making local funding decisions.
5.12
Participants stated the opinion that SIMD is more suited as an urban
measure, and that it does not help to identify areas or levels of poverty
in rural areas. This finding suggests that there is a lack of
understanding about the purpose of the index.35
5.13
Short-term funding for long-term issues was highlighted as a particular
problem and this is not unique to the rural setting. Community groups in
35
The Scottish Government confirmed that all of the indicators used to construct the index are
relevant to individuals living in urban and rural area. Fewer rural areas are shown as being multiply
deprived because populations in rural areas are more mixed and dispersed. The Scottish Government
is working to increase understanding among stakeholders about what the SIMD is and does, and
what it can and cannot be used for.
63
rural areas are reported to struggle in gaining revenue grants for
projects which is causing frustration and leading to many projects being
unable to continue.
Public, Private and Voluntary Sectors
5.14
Many consultees felt that the public, private and voluntary sectors all
have an important role in tackling poverty in rural areas. Whilst each
sector has a particular role to play, participants also felt that there could
be more joint working to take advantage of economies of scale,
particularly given the cost of service delivery in rural areas.
5.15
In terms of housing, it is felt that the public sector should support more
affordable housing and associated initiatives such as shared equity
housing. There is a fear amongst several participants that rural areas
will lose out in terms of housing development due to the desire for
large-scale developments that are not appropriate or required in remote
rural areas in particular. Small-scale developments should be
encouraged to meet the needs of local residents but also to encourage
greater inward investment to rural areas.
5.16
Private rented housing in rural areas was of some concern to workshop
participants. Low quality private rented accommodation that is energy
inefficient causes particular problems for those on low incomes.
Participants suggested that the Scottish Government should work more
closely with private landlords to encourage housing improvements to
be made.
5.17
More widely, it is felt that voluntary sector services providing
information, advice and support could have a greater presence in rural
areas. Support services for disabled people, those with mental ill health
and single parents are less prevalent in rural areas and these often
provide invaluable support to people at difficult times. Greater input
from the voluntary sector to run support groups would benefit those
living in poverty. Workshop participants felt that some vulnerable
groups would benefit from activities such as day outings, lunch clubs
and social activities that are often provided by voluntary organisations.
5.18
Workshop participants recognised that the voluntary sector has limited
resources and is increasingly centralising services to urban areas. It
was felt that increasing resources to the voluntary sector or
encouraging pooling of resources and a joined up approach between
voluntary organisations or between voluntary and statutory
organisations could help to improve service delivery in rural areas.
5.19
Greater inward investment by small-medium sized companies is felt to
be important in generating new opportunities for people living in rural
areas, particularly those who are not in work. Consultees felt that the
Government could offer support or incentives to small-medium
enterprises to move into rural areas. Further, the role of social
enterprises was discussed in workshops and participants felt that social
64
enterprises could have a key role in delivering services and support in
rural areas and that more incentives should be used to encourage this.
Policy
5.20
In developing initiatives and policy solutions to tackle poverty in rural
areas, workshop participants emphasised the need for policies to be
‘rural proofed’ or assessed for ‘rural impact’. Tailoring policies and
service delivery to the rural environment is felt to be fundamental with a
strong view stated that ‘one size does not fit all’.
5.21
The solutions discussed by workshop participants covered both
national and local level actions that could be implemented to help
improve the lives of those living in poverty. There is recognition that
many of the solutions are locally based and, therefore, become the
responsibility of local authorities. The Scottish Government is felt to be
important in encouraging the development of local solutions and
workshop participants felt that encouraging rural outcomes through
Single Outcome Agreements would be an effective way of ensuring
that rural issues are being considered at a local level.
5.22
In summary, workshop participants identified possible solutions to local
problems experienced by those living in poverty. Innovation and
flexibility are important in tackling issues of distance, cost of travel and
worker/client ratios. Greater joint working by service providers and
incentivising initiatives in rural areas could provide the impetus at the
local level to meet the challenges of service delivery.
5.23
It is recognised that rural areas across Scotland differ and that people
living in poverty in rural areas – both remote and accessible – have
different support needs depending on local circumstances. Therefore, it
is suggested, based on participants comments, that locally tailored
solutions are needed against a backdrop of national incentives and
support.
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6 CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Introduction
6.1
This chapter presents the conclusions of the study and summarises the
main implications of the findings.
6.2
The main focus of the chapter relates to the key study aims, which
were to establish whether the experience of poverty in rural areas in
Scotland is distinctive from the experience of poverty in urban areas
and to suggest what the implications of these differences are for
policies aimed at reducing poverty.
6.3
It is important to note that the conclusions of the study are based on
findings from qualitative research representing the views and
perceptions of just over 100 individuals that have participated in
national consultations and local workshops.
6.4
Furthermore, the research was exclusively undertaken with individuals
representing support organisations. Due to time limitations of this
commission, the views of people in poverty could not be included.
Information about the experience of poverty is, therefore, one step
removed from direct experience. In this respect, aspects such as
‘coping mechanisms’ of poverty could not be fully explored.
6.5
At times, the perceptions of the stakeholder groups at odds with what is
known from existing statistical evidence. This is an interesting finding
and although the research participants are a small, and by definition,
biased group, it may provide focus for future work.
Conclusions
6.6
One of the research questions was whether there is a difference in
rural poverty living in accessible or remote rural areas. From the
research it is evident that the experience of poverty for all the
vulnerable groups is not necessarily different, but certainly exacerbated
by living in the more remote rural areas.
Access to Services and Opportunities
6.7
One of the main factors affecting all people on low income in rural
areas, and remote rural areas in particular, is that low-density
population and dispersed living often means that service provision is
increasingly difficult to provide.
6.8
A further factor of rural living is that public and third sector service
providers are felt to be increasingly centralising their services to areas
with a high-density population. This is so that providers are closer to
the majority of their clients. The result is that a large number and range
of services and activities are located further away from people in rural
areas. This makes accessing services and activities more difficult, time
66
consuming and expensive. This affects most areas of life, including
schools, hospitals, care homes, benefit offices, job centres, post
offices, etc.
6.9
Service providers from public, private and voluntary sectors play an
important role in tackling rural poverty and a co-ordinated response to
service delivery is thought to be important to become more effective.
6.10
In terms of outreach provision, many support organisations stated that
client/worker ratios in budget allocations do not sufficiently
acknowledge the time required for travel in rural/remote rural locations.
6.11
A lack of opportunities for employment and training limits individuals’
options for increasing their household income and moving out of
poverty. With low skill, low pay jobs dominating the rural economy, the
route out of poverty for vulnerable groups is, therefore, more
challenging.
6.12
Without increased employability support in rural areas to support
vulnerable groups into employment, education and training there will be
out-migration to urban areas. This out-migration offers better
employment and training opportunities and is often the only alternative
for households experiencing poverty to improve their income.
Housing and Fuel Poverty
6.13
The quality and availability of affordable housing combined with the
issue of fuel poverty in rural areas was thought to affect people on low
incomes in rural areas more profoundly.
6.14
The shortage of affordable housing affects all rural areas. However, it is
believed that the in-migration of commuter families to the accessible
rural areas is increasing the problems for families living in poverty,
particularly as rental prices of properties have increased.
6.15
The poor quality of housing, often reported to be worse in the rental
market, contributes to fuel poverty. This is particularly the case in
exposed rural areas where houses are more exposed to the weather
conditions. Energy efficiency through building design has been
reported as an area of improvement particular in the area of new social
housing, for example.
6.16
People who tend to stay at home more during the day (i.e. pensioners,
ill people, and unemployed people) are more affected by high fuel
prices. Fuel poverty in rural areas – and particularly in remote rural
areas - is exacerbated by the lack of alternative places to spend time in
during the day.
6.17
The fieldwork further identified an important aspect of fuel poverty
relating to public/private sector approaches to reduce costs by gas
providers. These miss many households in rural areas that do not
67
have access to gas and rely on other sources such as oil and LPG.
These are usually provided by small suppliers out with any negotiated
reductions or support schemes. In this respect, households on low
income in rural areas are disadvantaged.
Cost of Living
6.18
The research found that the costs of basic goods is perceived to be
higher in rural areas than in urban areas where a critical mass ensures
economy of scales positively affecting the price of goods.
6.19
Further, the more remotely someone lives, the more money is required
to be spent on transport costs and the less money is left to pay for
other basic needs. The lives of poor households in rural areas are,
therefore, determined by much harsher choices of expenditure and
more drastic shortfalls in provision for basic needs.
Social Impacts
6.20
The findings clearly pointed out that the main effect of smaller
household budgets is that people tend to make savings on expenditure
by curbing social activities. The risk of isolation, limited social
contact and loneliness are impacts of poverty that are keenly felt in
rural areas.
6.21
In addition to the withdrawal from social activity for cost reasons, it is
believed that the associated stigma of poverty prevents many people
from engaging with their community and/or from asking for support.
6.22
The higher visibility of residents in the community in rural areas is
believed to increase risk of embarrassment and associated stigma
of asking or receiving support.
6.23
Careful and sensitive community engagement stimulating local
activities could help to reduce the isolation of vulnerable groups.
Current developments including the closure of local Post Offices and
cost of hiring local venues, often hinders effective community activity.
6.24
Support organisations commented on the negative effects of the shortterm nature of public sector funding. This reduces the consistency of
support, (which is particularly important for particular vulnerable
groups - elderly people, mental ill health).
6.25
The short-term nature of funding means that projects often cease to
operate and new projects take their place. Sustainability of projects and
initiatives is important to ensure consistency of support and support
organisations commented that there cannot continue to be short term
funding for long term issues.
68
Vulnerable Groups in Poverty
6.26
The experience of poverty for particular vulnerable groups has been
examined. Our findings indicate that target group households are
largely exposed to the same disadvantages posed by their rural
location (limited access to and high cost of transport, poor quality and
expensive housing, lack of services, higher costs of living) impacting
negatively on their income across each of the vulnerable groups.
6.27
There are a number of differentiating factors between the vulnerable
groups, but those factors are largely unrelated to geographic location.
Having said this, individuals (such as disabled people, the elderly and
the ill) who do require assistance and support on longer journeys to
service providers, are more profoundly affected by the higher costs of
transport in rural areas. This is also the case for single parents who
often face additional journeys to childcare services.
6.28
In addition, vulnerable groups in frequent need of health and support
services (including the elderly, disabled, mentally ill, and single
parents) are more likely to be affected by the distance to service
providers and the resulting transport issues, and/or by more infrequent
out-reach provision of services.
6.29
The main conclusion of the study is that people in rural areas have to
spend proportionately more on transport and goods and are less
frequently provided with services than their urban counterparts. For
people on low incomes, this has negative effects aggravating the
experience of poverty and reducing available income significantly.
6.30
Finally, the definition of poverty is acknowledged as a standard
measure that is needed in order to compare Scotland with other
nations. However, it was felt that a more meaningful measure
incorporating housing costs and expenditure would be appropriate for
measuring poverty and targeting policies.
Possible Implications for Decision-Makers
6.31
This research study identifies a number of implications for policy
makers and service providers, which could impact positively on the key
issues experienced by people in poverty in rural areas. These are
summarised as follows:
6.32
A joined up approach – the experience of poverty in rural areas has a
number of distinctive features. These need to be considered when
planning policies not just to address poverty but in relation to social
care, housing, transport, sustainable development, rural development
and social exclusion.
6.33
Delivering change – the specific features of rural areas require a more
flexible approach to service delivery, with a greater focus on outreach
and mobile services. Client/worker ratios need to recognise the
69
distance and time involved in travelling to clients in remote locations.
There are also particular sensitivities about delivering services to
vulnerable groups in rural areas, which need to be acknowledged when
planning and funding services.
6.34
Local provision and community-based solutions – many of the
issues identified by the research relate to the dispersed nature of rural
communities and the risk of isolation faced by vulnerable people. The
need for increased social interaction and continuity of support are of
paramount importance in addressing the key needs of people in the
groups considered by the research.
6.35
Transport – the research findings have implications for policies relating
to free transport for people over 60, and also for policies relating to
transport routes and service frequency.
6.36
Employment – study participants commented on the limited range of
employment opportunities in rural areas and the perceived difficulties
experienced by people in vulnerable groups in gaining and sustaining
employment. Findings have implications for job creation and for
ensuring that employers and employees receive appropriate training on
equalities issues.
6.37
Housing – policies need to take account of the lack of affordable, small
housing units in both accessible and remote rural areas. Housing
design is also an issue, particularly in exposed areas.
6.38
Fuel poverty – rural households not connected to mains gas supply
are currently missing out on the fuels cost reduction tariffs provided by
gas suppliers. Schemes to provide support to low income households,
regardless of their source of fuel, would help to alleviate the problems
faced by vulnerable people.
6.39
New technologies – many service providers place increasing
emphasis on digital media and information via the internet, excluding
people who cannot afford to pay for new technologies such as
computers and digital televisions. Consideration should be given to
ways in which people can access these technologies. Although not an
issue specifically affecting people experiencing poverty, improved
broadband coverage in rural areas would help people in vulnerable
groups to benefit from the advantages of technological developments.
6.40
Further research - the perceptions of people working with vulnerable
groups cannot replace the direct experience of those actually dealing
with poverty. This research has indicated that future work to guide
policy development and delivery could usefully focus on coping
strategies, cultural attitudes and lifestyle, all of which impact on the
ability to cope with poverty in different geographical and socioeconomic settings.
70
ISSN 0950 2254
ISBN 978 0 7559 7424 5
(Web only publication)
www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch
RR Donnelley B59515 2/09